Labradorite & Green Onyx Rope Ring

A 4x8mm baguette labradorite ring with two green onyx accents, set on a twisted rope band of 18ct gold-plated 925 sterling silver, EU size 56 (17.8mm inner diameter). House Of 18th Jewellery.

The Labradorite and Green Onyx Ring from House Of 18th Jewellery is a sterling silver ring featuring a 4x8mm baguette-cut labradorite centre stone flanked by two 1.5mm green onyx accents. The band is a twisted rope design in solid 925 sterling silver, finished with 18ct gold plating. The ring is nickel-free and suitable for sensitive skin.

What is labradorite?

Labradorite is a feldspar mineral known for labradorescence - an optical effect where light refracts between internal layers of the stone and produces flashes of blue, green or gold as the angle changes. The base body colour is typically grey to smoky. Labradorite measures 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, so it is softer than quartz and benefits from careful handling.

What is green onyx, and is it dyed?

Green onyx in the jewellery trade is almost always chalcedony, a microcrystalline quartz, dyed to an even green, because chalcedony rarely grows in that colour on its own. Assume the two green onyx accents on this ring are dyed. Green onyx rates 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. The labradorite's flash is different: it comes from the stone's internal structure, not from dye or a coating.

Why labradorite and green onyx together

Labradorite shifts colour with movement while green onyx holds a steady, opaque deep green. On the House Of 18th Jewellery labradorite ring, the two 1.5mm green onyx accents anchor the centre stone and pick up the green range of the labradorescence, keeping the ring cohesive under both daylight and indoor light.

How to care for 18ct gold-plated sterling silver

Gold-plated sterling silver jewellery lasts longest when kept away from perfume, hairspray, chlorine and prolonged water contact. Labradorite is a softer stone and can chip on impact, so remove the ring before manual work, sport or sleeping. Do not soak the ring or clean it with solvents, which can lift the dye from green onyx. Store the ring dry in a soft pouch. Clean with a dry soft cloth only, polishing cloths and silver dips remove gold plating.

How long the gold plating lasts

Gold plating is a finish, not a material. With daily wear it typically holds for one to two years before it begins to show thinning at high-contact points — the underside of a band, the back of a pendant — and considerably longer on pieces that come off before water, perfume and sleep. The 925 sterling silver underneath does not wear out, and the plating can be renewed by a jeweller.