This ring is built around a copper replacement agate sourced from naturally formed nodules found within amygdaloidal basalt in the Keweenaw Peninsula region of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. These nodules form as discrete rounded structures within volcanic basalt, and only a small percentage contain material suitable for cutting once exposed. Many are fractured, partially mineralized, or structurally unstable due to the way secondary copper mineralization replaces the original amygdaloidal cavities over time. Even when a nodule appears promising externally, internal stress patterns and mixed mineral zones often make it difficult to predict how it will behave during cutting. A significant amount of time goes into selection and testing before a stable cabochon can be produced. The cutting process is slow and responsive to the stone’s internal structure, which can shift or fail unpredictably under pressure from the wheel. Because of this, each successful cabochon represents a small fraction of material that survives full shaping. Once completed, the stone is set by hand in sterling silver using a fully fabricated ring base, built specifically around the individual cabochon. size 8 stone dimensions: 10x8mm Sterling Silver
