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We're honest about our gemstones, even when it hurts!
 
Click a gemstone name or picture to visit our online store Return to Main Gemstone Index |
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Black Stone (-043)
This ink-colored gemstone closely resembles black onyx; however, since we have been unable to verify its true classification, "black stone" is the most honest name for it. This gemstone usually appears less shiny than onyx. | |
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Black Lace Picasso
aka Spiderweb Jasper A gray and white stone with black crazing (known as picasso), this gemstone is very similar in appearance to zebra jasper. However, since we do not know whether it is truly a jasper mineralogically, we've kept its descriptive market name. The markings could be natural or manmade. | |
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Bloodstone (-098)
aka Heliotrope, Martyr's Stone This dark-green variety of chalcedony (quartz) is dotted with nodules of bright-red jasper. Polished sections therefore show red spots on a dark-green background, resembling drops of blood and inspiring its name. In ancient times, bloodstone was attributed with the power to stop hemorrhages at the merest touch. It was greatly prized in the Middle Ages, as the spots were thought to be the blood of Jesus Christ. For this reason, bloodstone was commonly used in sculptures representing martyrdom. Mystics today hold that bloodstone relieves stomach and bowel pain, strengthens blood-purifying organs and improves blood circulation. | |
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Bronzite
aka Brownzite Bronzite is actually a hypersthene (part of the pyroxene group) that has been chemically "weathered." The process creates a new, opaque stone with a submetallic luster, especially on its cleavage surfaces. Weathering on the hypersthene occurs due to moisture and temperature conditions within the igneous rock, metamorphic rock or meteorite where the stone is found. Bronzite often contains inclusions of highly reflective minerals, such as hematite and goethite, which give it a beautiful bronze-like effect when polished (hence its name). Some beads also exhibit a cat's-eye effect. Bronzite ranges from greenish-black to brown and has medium hardness. The stone is found in Syria, Austria, South Africa, and the U.S.A. (Montana). Bronzite is believed to facilitate a feeling of certainty when goal-setting and help individuals take control of their actions and decisions. It is said to promote "correct" or "principled" behavior and help dispel restlessness. Physically, many say it helps the body assimilate iron and increases acidity within the body. | |
 
Why can't I click on some stone names?Some stones are not currently part of our regular stock, meaning we don't sell them in our wholesale catalog or online. However, these may still be available on our traveling BeadTour, which stops at more than 50 U.S. cities each year. | ||
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