Opalite Aten Sundrop Necklace
Inspired by Aten/Aton, the Sun God in traditional ancient Egyptian religion. Aten was the original sun god that the more popular sun god Ra was derived from. Aten was more of an aspect of Ra and is depicted as a solar disk terminating in human hands. Aten creates the son in the mother's womb, the seed in men, and has generated all life.
Pendant strung on a 14.5" 14k gold-filled necklace.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 6.5 7 Very Durable
ORIGINS: Opalite is also known by various other names, including "Opalized Glass," "Sea Opal," "Tiffany Stone," and "Opalite Quartz." While it's not a naturally occurring mineral, Opalite is created by enhancing the optical properties of glass to mimic the play of colors and iridescence seen in genuine opal gemstones.
Man-made?! What are the benefits of having Opalite over real opal??
Well, Opalite was made as a more ethical reply to the unethical mining practices of natural opals. Natural opals are beautiful but they are notoriously sensitive to temperature and moisture. Opalite is much more durable, affordable, and keeps its opalescence without the hassle of much upkeep.
HISTORY: Natural opalite has been around for millions of years, but man-made opalite is much younger.
The first synthetic opal was created in 1972 by French chemist Pierre Gilson. An extensive study on the precious opal’s internal structure informed his creation. People loved it so much that Gilson’s gemstone commanded its own market demand, giving rise to its newer name “opalite.”
