Vintage Teardrop Eilat Pendant/Brooch

Beautifully figured Eilat stone set in warm patina sterling gilt...2" x 1.25"...wear as a pendant or brooch...Israel

Eilat Stone derives its name from the city of Eilat where it was found in the copper mines of southern Israel. It is a green-blue mixture of minerals including malachite, azurite, turquoise, and others. The Eilat stone is the National Stone of Israel and is also known as the King Solomon Stone as the copper for the Temple came from these mines. Once used extensively in jewelry, Eilat Stone has not been mined since the copper mines flooded in the 1970’s and were never reopened. Consequently, the true Eilat Stone can only be found in antique and vintage jewelry. The blue and green stones sold as Eilat Stone in tourist shops in Israel today are generally imported from foreign copper mines and are not really from Israel.