Fordite is a most unusual material! It is the fossilized car paint from old Ford factories in Detroit that were torn down in the 1960’s. At that time some Michigan rock hounds discovered colorful striped chunks of old car paint in the debris that had cured to gemstone hardness. It is easy to see the popular colors of the 1950’s—turquoise, red, white, black—and the metallic silver and gold paints of the early 1960’s.
About ten years ago some of this fascinating material became available and we have been making unique pendants by adding coordinating gemstones.
Believe it or not, some people have actually tried to counterfeit fordite. The genuine material is very distinctive and fakes are easy to spot.
A fascinating slice of American history!