Are you familiar with Niobium? Niobium is a dull gray metal that is rarer than gold and more precious than sterling. It`s a refractive metal that produces brilliant colors when it`s heated or anodized. Anodizing is a process in which metal is dipped in an electrically-charged bath.


Holly Yashi Paradise in Bloom Earrings
Leaf-shaped earrings adorned with one simple bloom and multi-hued branches
Available in other colors

In both anodizing and heating, a natural oxide with a very high refractive index forms on the surface of the metal. Depending on its thickness, this transparent oxide layer produces interference colors, like a beetle`s back, or oil on a puddle.


Holly Yashi Niobium Reversible Earrings
Niobium, Amethyst, Sterling Silver ear wires, 1-1/8" long
To reverse, simply remove earrings from ear wires and turn them around. 1 1/8" long

In the anodization process, Niobium will display different colors on its surface, depending on the voltage of electricity that is applied. You can also repeat the process to get more than one color on the same piece, and the colors never fade or tarnish. So beautiful!

Niobium is also environmentally clean, lightweight, and hypoallergenic. It`s used in a lot of body jewelry-the stuff you see stuck into young people`s lips, noses, eyebrows, and foreheads-because it`s completely non-reactive with human tissue. It`s safe to wear for even those most sensitive to metal allergies, and it can be colored beautifully.