Gemstone Spotlight from The 2025 Las Vegas Gem Shows: Malachite

Sporting a deep green color that features complex banding and swirling patterns, malachite easily ranks as one of the most recognizable gemstone species there is - even though no two stones look alike. Malachite owes its inherently unique appearance to its growing conditions. Banding, as expected, is created by layering new growth over the stone. The curved and circular patterns are made via a process known as "botryoidal growth" where the gem grows vertically in rounded bubble-like protrusions. One might say that it looks like the surface of boiling water frozen in place.

It is due to malachite's uniquely captivating appearance that the stone has been admired and actively mined for about six thousand years! Over these last six millennia, people have found many uses for malachite including crushing stones to achieve a rich green pigment, harvesting its copper content, creating artistic carvings, as well as using it as an ornamental stone in jewelry. 

Fortunately, malachite is a common mineral, and vast deposits of the stone can be found all over the world in places like Australia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United States, and Zaire. Perhaps the most famous source is the Ural Mountain Range in Russia where malachite rocks grew to such monumental sizes that they were used as paneling for the walls of palaces. There remains enough material in such deposits to meet the global demand for the stone.

At the 2025 Las Vegas Gem Shows Couture, JCK, and the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, there was quite of bit of malachite featured in both antique pieces and contemporary designs. Here is a look at some of the finest malachite jewelry that was on display.

Roy Rover Antiques

First, we wanted to see examples of old malachite jewelry and found it at Roy Rover Antiques. Julia Rover showed us her collection of malachite jewelry from nineteenth-century England and Scotland. The selection nicely illustrates the range of ways that jewelers can use the stone.

The circle brooch at the bottom left of the image above is the only Scottish item displayed. You can see that the artist who carved the malachite for this piece used relatively large pieces with polished surfaces to highlight the natural movement of the stone.

The remaining English pieces are made from gold that is 9kt, 12kt, or 15kt in keeping with the conventions of the Victorian Era.

Istinara

Moving on to modern jewelry, we found Mira Sadi, the founder and creative director of Istinara, at the Couture Show. She said, "Malachite is a signature stone for our brand. We love it because green represents nature." It is a fitting choice for a company that aims to be environmentally friendly. In addition to using 18kt recycled gold, Istinara packaging is made by refugee women. 

Campbell and Charlotte Jewelry

Jennifer Mchugh, the founder and designer of Campbell and Charlotte Jewelry, is also inspired by malachite - "Each stone has different banding patterns. They can be round and straight. I think it is so cool that nature can do that!"

A nnette Ferdinandsen

Designer Annette Ferdinandsen made excellent use of a single malachite gem by setting it as the base for a nature-themed ring. The movement of the green pattern looks very much like pond water, making a scene with a frog and lily pad come to life.

In Ferdinandsen's own words, "I love patterns and color, and malachite is always one of a kind. Beyond that, it is historically a classic and regal stone worn by royalty that isn't being used as much now as it was in some previous eras. I feel that modern buyers should be exposed to it and have their understanding of what jewelry can be expanded."

George Hakim

While Ferdinandsen expressed a hope that American buyers will grow increasingly accepting of non-traditional opaque gems, George Hakim said that his Middle Eastern buyers already embrace such bold stones. "In Arab countries, women feel comfortable wearing big jewelry featuring malachite paired with other colors and diamonds, even for day wear."

Aletto Brothers

Aletto Brothers is well-established brand founded in 1889 that, remarkably, is still in the hands of the same family. Now fifth-generation jewelers, Emilia Aletto said that each and every piece they produce is handmade. Moreover, they keep to a very specific aesthetic - "all of our jewelry is hefty and solid." Malachite is just one example of large opaque gemstones on display at their booth.

Marina B

Legendary jeweler Marina Bulgari founded Marina B in 1978. Eight years ago, Guy Bedarida purchased the company and says that he is on a mission to "revamp the classic designs of the company." To this day, jewelry associated with the Bulgari name are statement pieces often with vibrant color. Bedarida uses many opaque gemstones to achieve such a similar look, and malachite fits right in.

Conclusion

The malachite jewelry shown in Las Vegas showcased the versatility of the stone. Depending on the unique green pattern, the shape and size of how stones are cut, and what other gems the malachite is set alongside, jewelry can be chunky, refined, and anything in between. With so many options, antique and contemporary, available, would you consider adding malachite to your jewelry collection?