What are Herkimer diamonds? Nestled in the central New York Leatherstocking region made famous by 19th-century American writer James Fenimore Cooper in The Last of the Mohicans is an even older, natural claim to fame: its 500 million-year-old Herkimer diamonds. “Herks,” as they are called, are naturally faceted (18 facets) quartz and score a seven on the Mohs hardness scale measuring gemstone resistance to scratching. Only the topaz, ruby, sapphire and (carbon) diamonds are harder.

The stones are set in fine and sterling silver. The twisted silver wire hoops and ear wires are also sterling silver.