Earrings Pendants Rings Bracelets & Buckles

Lake Champlain Beach Stone Jewelry

David Epstein of Hinesburg launches Lake Champlain Beach Stone Jewelry, a new line of silver earrings, pendants, and bracelets made from Iberville shale. These stones can be found on the shores of Lake Champlain and were formed nearly 500 million years ago, at the same time the mountains became part of the landscape of Vermont.
 
Due to the unique quality of this stone, no two pieces are alike. So, when ordering please allow some leeway as to the pattern of the stone. If you see a piece that you love, I'll gladly ship that one to you if I have it in stock, or I'll try to come as close as I can to that piece.

Lake Champlain Beach Stone Jewelry is David's new and original line of jewelry. David brings his creativity and love of nature together with stones from the heart of Vermont. This new line is comprised of stones called Iberville shale found on the beaches of Lake Champlain. The name of the stone comes from the Quebec town where this unique shale was discovered. Some Vermonters call them wishing stones or lucky stones or skipping stones, no doubt because of their whimsical look and flat shape.

Iberville shale is dark gray and characterized by numerous white stripes. Marine silt formed the stone roughly 440 to 500 million years ago. The silt became rock as it hardened and compacted over time. The white stripes that flow through the shale are veins of the mineral calcite, which was formed by a vertical compressing force great enough to allow the calcium carbonate in the water to coalesce into the white bands of calcite. The high pressure and heat needed to make these beautiful stripes is also what formed the mountains surrounding Lake Champlain. One of the best places to see Iberville shale is Lone Rock Point in Burlington.

This new line of work started on a beach outing in Charlotte when David, his wife Yvonne, and some friends admired the unusual gray and white striped stones underfoot. After initial cutting and polishing, it was clear that Iberville shale set in silver made stunning jewelry unique to Vermont — jewelry that reminds both wearer and admirers of the history and essence of the great state of Vermont. It is no surprise that an artist who so reveres nature would look to this unusual natural resource as an inspiration for new keepsake pieces.

These beach stone jewelry pieces are made by first selecting the stones for the quality of their structure and interesting striped patterns. They are then cut and polished and set in finely crafted sterling silver.
 
Below are some scenes of the beach where the stones are collected.