Lapis Lazuli Oval Sterling Silver Drop Earrings with Twisted Rope Bezel

These are the last piece of the collection, and they were quietly built to go with the first blue one. The lapis teardrop pendant that went up earlier in this drop and this pair came out of the same deep saturated material. Wear them together and it reads as a set that was planned rather than assembled. Wear the earrings alone and they still carry on their own. That is the useful kind of matching: optional.

The silverwork here is the traditional end of the collection, and it is worth looking at closely. Each stone sits in a sawtooth bezel, those little triangular teeth folded over the edge of the cabochon to hold it, and that sits inside a twisted rope border. Both are old Southwest techniques and both are done by hand, one tooth and one twist at a time. Set the modern square band ring next to these and you are looking at two completely different traditions in the same collection.

The stone is a deep royal blue with pyrite flecked through it. Pyrite is the sign you want in lapis. Natural material carries it, along with a little white calcite, while the flawlessly even blue in cheap jewelry is usually dyed howlite.

They hang as a matched oval drop pair on sterling wires. On the ear they read as dangle earrings with enough movement and presence to feel like a small statement, but still pared back enough for everyday wear. They are comfortable to live in, but polished enough to pull in with a dressier outfit when you want blue to be the accent.

Because they are both distinctive and wearable, they also work well as a gift for someone who loves blue stone jewelry or traditional sterling silver work—a mid-range, thoughtful piece they can reach for often rather than save for rare occasions.

Sterling wires. Stamped P on the back.

The details
Stone: lapis lazuli, deep royal blue with natural pyrite
Metal: sterling silver, sawtooth bezel inside a twisted rope border
Hallmark: P
Style: matched oval drop pair on sterling wires (dangle earrings)
One of a kind: yes, a single pair
Pairs with the lapis teardrop pendant from this same collection if you want the full set.