Connemara Marble Jewelry Ideas: Express Your Irish Side With This Uniquely Irish Gemstone!

When considering Connemara marble jewelry, how appropriate that Connemara marble happens to be a uniquely Irish invention - and  happens to be green in color.  Green - the color millions of people around the world associate with the Emerald Isle and her colorful  culture. 

You can find this special marble in jewelry of every type. A unique and durable expression of your love of Ireland.

Photocredit: Sara Kirby. Flickr.com.

Connemara Marble Jewelry: 
What's the Appeal?

Connemara marble is Ireland's national gemstone. It can also contain as many as 40 shades of green!  From the palest creamy green transitioning into moss and ending in the deepest emerald, this stone reflects the unique beauty of the Emerald Isle.

And it is found nowhere else in the world.

Where In Ireland Does It Come From?

True marble of this type can only be sourced from one location - the Twelve Bens, a magnificent range of sharp-peaked quartzite mountains located in western Ireland.

It is more abundant along the towns of Streamstown and Lissoughter with most mines under the control of families who have extracted the mineral for several generations.

For these reasons, this type of marble is becoming increasingly rare.

You can, fortunately, still purchase finely-crafted beautiful keepsakes like pieces of jewelry and home decorative items from artisans’ shops in towns like Clifden and Moycullen.

Photocredit: The Irish Store

Ancient Origins

Connemara marble dates back to the pre-Cambrian era and has certainly taken hundreds of millions of years to form.

Just as with typical marble, it is limestone that has been subjected to extreme amounts of heat and pressure that caused its transformation into the marble we enjoy now.

It is composed of re-crystallized carbonate minerals such as dolomite or calcite while its mica components give the marble its attractive shine.

Its characteristic 40 shades of green come from the presence of other minerals particularly serpentine that, in turn, came from the mixture of high magnesium limestone and silica impurities.

The ratio between the limestone and the serpentine, among other trace minerals in the Earth, determines the distinctive green hues of the whorls, swirls and veins...

... and lends itself to many beautiful Connemara marble jewelry ideas - among other things.

Uses in Art, Architecture and Jewelry

The peerless beauty of this gemstone, coupled with its durability, has made it one of the most sought-after stones in Ireland and beyond. It has many uses.

A few examples are:

• Pendant for the highest award in Irish Scouting, the Scouting Ireland Chief Scout’s Award
• Building fixtures in notable structures like Kensington Palace, Albert Museum, Trinity College, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Galway Cathedral. It has also been used on the walls of the Senate Chamber of the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
• Irish Jewelry including earrings, pendants, rings, rosaries and bracelets, either as the centerpiece or in combination with precious metal like gold, silver and platinum as well as precious gems.
• Home decorative items as well as furniture and fixtures like tabletops, potpourri dish, Christmas decorations and holy water fount.

Connemara marble jewelry makes a great gift for your family and friends. The beauty of the marble immediately attracts the eye while its symbolism warms the heart.  

For many more connemara marble jewelry ideas and an opportunity to purchase one you like, reach out to The Irish Store here. 

(We don't receive a commission for sending you there, we just love 'em and want you to know about 'em).

And for more Irish gift ideas visit our section on Creative Irish Gifts here.

Want More Irish Customs?

It is probably obvious - at Irish Expressions, we love Irish culture and customs.  Expressing ourselves through these traditions gives us a deeper sense of connection with Ireland, wherever in the world we happen to be!

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Want them right now?  Keep reading to learn about "Your Irish Expressions Playbook."

More Fun With Irish Expressions

Congratulations on learning more about the Emerald Isle and discovering what we like to call your "Irish Side."  You may be thinking "I'd love to actually VISIT Ireland but that's really not in the cards right now.  What am I supposed to do with the stuff I just learned?"

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