Labradorite: Frozen Fire Within

Detail of labradorescence on Michelle Pajak-Reynolds's Undina Collection: Luna necklace. Photo credit: Michelle Pajak-Reynolds

Detail of labradorescence on Michelle Pajak-Reynolds's Undina Collection: Luna necklace. Photo credit: Michelle Pajak-Reynolds

Coveted for centuries, Labradorite gemstones are full of mystery and wonder.  At first glance, they appear as a beautiful grey stones, then the light hits them and your eyes are delighted with shimmering flashes of peacock-blue, velvety green, and fiery orange.

Eskimo Inuit and Native American Innu of Labrador, Canada, where Labradorite gets its name, tell a beautiful tale about the birth of these gems.  In ancient times, the spectacular phenomena of the Aurora Borealis as we know it today, ethereal dancing colors in shades of blue, green, orange and purple across the night sky, was once trapped inside the stones along Labrador’s shoreline.  An Inuit warrior discovered these rocks and struck them with his spear to release their fiery colors.  The fire that couldn’t be freed remained frozen in the stones and that’s the shimmer of lights, a color flash so unique it was given it’s own name, labradorescence, we see in Labradorite gemstones.

Michelle Pajak-Reynolds's Undina Collection: Luna bracelet handcrafted in labradorite, rock crystal quartz and oxidized recycled sterling silver. Photo credit: Julie Stanley/JuleImages LLC

Michelle Pajak-Reynolds's Undina Collection: Luna bracelet handcrafted in labradorite, rock crystal quartz and oxidized recycled sterling silver. Photo credit: Julie Stanley/JuleImages LLC

Labradorite is available in a variety of styles and sizes.  I’m drawn to the rich grey and warm gray stones cut as faceted beads and love pin-setting them as clusters in oxidized recycled sterling silver.  The lustrous dark grey silver accentuates labradorite’s neutral tones and provides a stunning contrast to the labradorescence. Pin-setting each stone allows the most amount of light to play on the gems.  No two stones are ever alike which makes the color flashes on clusters of labradorite even more striking.

Photo credits: Julie Stanley/JuleImages LLC

Please note, all metaphysical and healing properties listed are collected from a variety of sources and shared for educational, historical and entertainment purposes only. The authors and Michelle Pajak-Reynolds Studios LLC do not guarantee the validity of such statements nor is any of this information meant to treat medical conditions. If you have a medical concern, please consult your medical provider for appropriate treatment options.

Michelle Pajak-Reynolds

Michelle Pajak-Reynolds began designing jewelry at 5 years old after being inspired by the power bracelets and tiara worn by actress Lynda Carter in the Wonder Woman television series. And her history with jewelry goes back even further as her parents met and fell in love across a jewelry case; Michelle's mom was a jewelry department manager and her dad was a police officer.

As a young child, Michelle used her babysitting money to teach herself basic beading and wire-wrapping techniques with supplies from her local craft supply store. Her formal jewelry and metalsmithing training began in a high-school jewelry class and she went on to perfect her artistic and business skills via a BFA in Jewelry from Kent State University and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Baldwin-Wallace University.

Michelle founded her eponymous jewelry company in 2001 and specializes in small collections of one-of-a-kind designs. Handcrafted in gemstones, pearls and ethically sourced precious metals in her Ohio studio, Michelle’s creations are elegant and ethereal art to wear that stirs the soul. In addition to designing her signature collections, Michelle works one-on-one with collectors to create breathtaking custom designs.

michellepajakreynolds.com
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