Yooperlite jewelry is the latest accessory you should watch. These syenite rocks are rich in fluorescent sodalite. The surface shows spots and geometric lines. These patterns remind us of a galaxy!
Each stone is unique, with a mix of patterns. It’s gaining popularity for its distinguishable teal-yellowish luminescent glow. Join us as we explore the beauty and glow of exotic yooperlite gemstones.
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL?
Yooperlite might look like normal gray rocks to the naked eye. However, the magic of this gem is heightened under a special light. Yooperlite jewelry emits an eerie glow under UV light. Accordingly, this glow makes it stand out from other stones.
DISCOVERING YOOPERLITE
“Innovation begins with curiosity.” This phrase aptly describes this rock’s discovery.
Yooperlite was discovered by gem and mineral dealer Erik Rintamaki. He was walking on the shoreline of Lake Superior late one evening. Erik had the knowledge that UV lighting interacts beautifully with certain minerals. Curious, he wished to know how the shoreline would look when subjected to ultraviolet light.
Yooperlite jewelry became a possibility years later. In 2017, Erik once again went to the shoreline. But this time, he brought a hand-held UV light with him. Erik discovered yooperlite when he used UV light. In the first go, he found tons of rocks that glow!
Mineral News published this discovery in 2018. But Erik is not the first to discover these glowing rocks. However, he is the first to get confirmation from scientists that there is sodalite in Michigan!
CREATING YOOPERLITE JEWELRY
Crafting a yooperlite bracelet or any other piece of glowing jewelry seems an easy task. However, it is highly challenging and laborious. The difficulty starts early in production when rocks are cut into gems. Every stone is carefully selected and assessed under UV light for fluorescence. The stones won’t show anything special if not checked properly by experts.
Indeed, only experts can cut this rock. Cutters must judge the correct angle to ensure light passes through properly.
Thankfully, Shop LC has our team of gem experts to do the work! Firstly, our team examines rough stones and cuts them for the finest quality. Normally, the selection of gems results in a lot of material wastage. Whereas, doing the work ourselves saves value that’s passed along to you.
Production of a yooperlite necklace or other jewelry is difficult. During the setting process, the team must be careful and use the correct angle for maximum fluorescence.
A UV light is a must-have at all stages of manufacturing this glowing gemstone jewelry.
SOURCING YOOPERLITE
Shop LC launched this gemstone in June 2022. Our team combed the Tucson gem and mineral shows earlier this year.
At one event, we met Erik himself. He was the only source for this fascinating gem – trust us, we looked! We bought this stone directly from Erik.
Sourced gemstones are cut in-house then the yooperlite jewelry is created. This vertically integrated business model helped us to avoid traditional retail markups.
This gemstone is found along the shores of the Great Lakes. It is especially popular in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and on the shores of Lake Superior. The ShopLC team has sourced high-quality rough rocks directly from Erik to ascertain their authenticity.
During the trading, Erik said that he self-named this rock yooperlite. He did this to honor the people living in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
“Yoopers” is colloquially used for the people of Michigan’s upper peninsula. “Lite” refers to the rock’s fluorescent properties from sodalite.
HOW IS THIS GEMSTONE MINED?
Yooperlite jewelry is not created from a mined gemstone. The gemstones currently occur on the surface – along the shoreline, to be specific.
Finding the gemstone requires proper planning and is done by experts only. Erik also provides tours to rockhounds and collectors to search for this gemstone.
YOOPERLITE FOR CRYSTAL HEALERS
Yooperlite gemstones are believed to be a stone of truth. Some say that they help in recognizing and expressing feelings. Not just this, this gemstone is also said to release anger and negative thoughts. This stone is also said to impart feelings of self-acceptance and self-confidence.
YOOPERLITE JEWELRY AT SHOP LC
Yooperlite is quickly gaining popularity among collectors and enthusiasts. Indeed, Shop LC is here to provide the most exciting new finds. With a wide selection of designs, there’s something for everyone.
Discover yooperlite jewelry for yourself!