On the beaches of Lake Michigan between Leelanau County and the city named Petoskey, you can find the fossilized coral called Petoskey Stones. When dry, they pretty much look like the other gray stones, but when wet, they have distinctive hexagonal white markings like honeycombs. These coral were alive 350 million years ago when the area was a shallow warm sea. When alive, they were red and had six-sided tentacles that it used to suck up plankton for food. When the sea dried up, the coral hardened into fossils. Later, the Ice Age glaciers scattered them as they advanced and retreated.

When carefully polished, these stones make a wonderful cream to gray colored pendant or bead. The tiny hexagonal circles organically align in beautiful arrangements like this example.

Fossilized coral is great for jewelry. Its creamy or light gray color is neutral and goes with almost anything in your wardrobe. It is a nice contrast with your little black dress or your navy T-shirt. They look dressy as well as casual. They also look right at home at the beach or the club.

The fossilized coral earrings I have in my shop are tapered ovals or teardrops that swing when you move. They also go well with any hair color or cut. Wear your hair back and expose them, or wear it long and it will peek through your hair as you walk.

These fossilized coral pendants make great necklaces and pendants as well.    

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