Benitoite Butterfly

The Benitoite Butterfly has six intense blue benitoites weighing 5.96 carats forming the body. The wings are set with 28.71 carats of benitoites graduating in saturation from darker to lighter. The antenna has 0.16 carats of natural occurring colorless benitoites. The eyes have 0.14 carats of extremely rare light orange benitoites. The orange is achieved by heating colorless benitoites. And the butterfly is accented with 1.39 carats of diamonds. The Benitoite Butterfly was designed “en tremblant,” a French term meaning "to tremble." The wings are mounted on springs to create movement when worn. The 18k yellow gold Benitoite Butterfly is part of a collection of 18 jeweled butterfly brooches created and designed by Elvis "Buzz" Gray and Bernadine Johnston. The butterflies were gifted to the National Gem Collection by the Smithsonian Gem and Mineral Collectors.