If you are looking for more information on stone beads then, you’ve come to the right place.
A Guide To Stone Beads
Assorted Stone Beads
Stone beads are available in a variety of forms, shapes, sizes and colors. Most of them contain a variety of colorful streaks and inclusions that are created of jasper, onyx, natural turquoise, obsidian and malachite. From heart, star and oval shapes to round, triangle and square shapes, from every color in the spectrum to all kinds of sizes, there is no limit to the type of natural stone beads available.
The versatile appearances and different characteristics of stone beads have made them popular for jewelry making and other decorative purposes. Natural stone beads are made out of minerals and semi-precious stones that occur naturally in the earth’s crust and hence have to be mined, cut and polished. This leads to such beads being expensive and valuable.
The Different Types Of Stone Beads
Amethyst Beads
There are a variety of stone beads available in the market. These can be purchased as loose pieces in bulk from traders or in the form of jewelry or other decorative pieces from retailers. Some of the different kinds of stones used are-
* Jasper – jasper is a type of quartz. It is strong and sturdy and it forms in a number of colors owing to the presence of minerals.
* Onyx – it is also a type of quartz stone. It is opaque in nature and is very hard. The stone can be polished to produce extremely attractive surfaces and hence it is popular for decorative purposes and adornment. Onyx in its pure form is black in color but it can also by synthetically dyed.
Agate Beads
* Natural turquoise – this stone occurs in shades of blue (presence of copper) and green (presence of iron).
* Obsidian – it is black in color. It is a form of volcanic glasses that is formed by the repetitive cooling of molten lava.
* Malachite – this is an attractive stone in bright green hues. Malachite is a type of copper mineral.
The Many Pros of Natural Stone Beads
Rhodochrosite Beads
While artificially created beads have their attractive features, there are a number of advantages of using natural stone beads as well. Let us take a look at a few:
* These beads are free of risks of allergies or adverse reactions if they come in contact with the skin/ are kept close to one’s being. The manufacturers do not use chemicals to process these beads and the polish of these beads is generally a result of cutting and polishing. So, these beads are safe to be in contact with.
* Since these beads are made with stones forming in the earth’s crust, their composition is that of naturally growing substances. The lack of chemicals, plastics and other synthetic substances means there are no toxic substances or impurities in these beads.
* While many people are skeptical of concepts such as healing crystals and birthstones, natural stones are recognized birthstones and associated with fortune stones and several mystical properties. For those who believe that crystals exude useful effects on the human body and psyche as well as those who believe in the concept of birthstones, wearing natural stone beads lends a personal, faith-related touch to an otherwise cosmetic practice.
The Different Usage
Some of the most common uses are :-
* As embellishments. Whether you use them to decorate show pieces, wrapped gifts, cards, knickknacks around the house, it is up to you.
Indian Agate Tibetan Malas
* On clothing. They can be used to add appeal and glamor to clothing.
* As prayer beads.
* In jewelry making processes.
* As a part of medical jewelry/products. Natural beads are known to have healing properties and many people believe they can be used for curing skin allergies, breathing difficulties and so on.
