stone descriptions

STONE DESCRIPTIONS
The following gemstones have each been used or are currently part of the beautiful
mixture of stones found in Barse cast and beaded designs.
Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones
Those which do not allow any light through, or only a small amount
Turquoise
First mined more than 6,000 years ago, turquoise
has been used throughout the ages for worship and
as a powerful talisman, capable of safeguarding
and bringing happiness to its wearer. Ancient
cultures, including the Greeks, Romans and Mayans
were all enthralled by its unparalleled color.
Though no longer with active mines, the world’s
finest turquoise derives from Iran, where its bright
‘robin’s egg’ blue color is generally regarded as the
purest, most sought after. The color of turquoise
is strongly dependent on the presence of either
copper, which produces the more blue variety, or
iron, which produces the more green. For more
specific information on turquoise, see our Truth
About Turquoise article.
Kingman Turquoise
Most turquoise used in Barse designs derives from
the Kingman mine in Arizona. This genuine stabilized
turquoise produces a beautiful blue-green variety that
is highly coveted.
Nacozari
Occasionally we will seek a more blue variety of turquoise
for our designs, and for these, we use the bright robin’s
egg blue turquoise from the Nacozori mine in Mexico.
Malachite
Malachite is a mineral of copper. Because of its distinctive
bright green color and its presence in the weathered
zone of nearly all copper deposits, malachite serves as
a prospecting guide for that metal. Malachite has been
used as an ornamental stone and as a gemstone for
centuries. In Ancient Greece, amulets for children were
made of malachite. In many countries, malachite is
used as a children’s talisman to ward off danger and illness.
It is attached to children’s cradles.
Amazonite
Although amazonite is named after the Amazon River,
and can be found in Brazil, the gem was in fact known
in the Old World long before South America had been
discovered. It is believed that the Brazilian Amazons
gave these green stones to the explorers who visited
them, thus explaining the name. This milky green stone
is a beautiful compliment to stones such as turquoise
and gaspeite.
Chrysophase
A green variety of chalcedony; chrysophase is the most
valuable member of the chalcedony mineral group. The
stone gets its apple green color from the presence of
nickel in the crystal. Large broken pieces are often full of
fissures with irregular colors. Color can fade in sunlight
and when heated.
Rhyolite
A volcanic rock, similar in properties to obsidian.
Aventurine
Serpentine
Olive Aventurine
Green aventurine quartz, usually assumed to be the
green variety when not specified, has natural inclusions
that look like sparkles. Aventurine is sometimes
mistaken for jade because of its similar color. Green
aventurine quartz is said to relieve anxiety, calm one’s
emotions and to bring opportunity.
Ruby Zoisite
Mined in Tanzania, beautiful deep colored ruby
sometimes naturally develops within green zoisite. The
result is this unusual stone that combines dark green
with a ruby pink shade. Often used in reflexology, ruby
zoisite is said to help focus energy, attention and to
stimulate reflex points.
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Lime Turquoise
‘Lime’ turquoise, one of Barse’s perennially favorite
stones, is a true turquoise that is enhanced to achieve its
brilliant green color. Most stones used in contemporary
jewelry design are dyed to achieve the brilliant colors
that are found in nature. Dying brings those beautiful
colors in a natural stone without the exorbitant price tag
of a rare stone.
Dolomite Serpentine
Generally found in shades of green with other colors
streaking it, this stone has also been referred to as
snakestone because of its patterning. It is the state
mineral of California, where it is found in abundance.
Serpentine is said to restore self-confidence.
Lemon Jasper
Similar properties to other jasper, offered in a citrus
color.
Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones CONTINUED
Green Jade
African Turquoise
Because of it’s exotic blend of base color and dark
matrix this material is known in the trade as “African
Turquoise.” It is actually a dyed jasper.
Olive Jade
Aqua Jade
Chrysocolla
This stone looks similar to turquoise, but is actually
associated with properties of quartz. The name comes
from the Greek chrysos, “gold”, and kolla, “glue”, in
allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold.
Lemon Jade
White Jade
The toughness of jade is remarkable. It has strength
greater than steel and was put to work by many early
civilizations for axes, knives and weapons. It was later
that jade became a symbolic stone used in ornaments
and other religious artifacts during the eons. A wide
variety of Jade colors are used in Barse designs.
Howlite
Green Howlite
Howlite is a stone that naturally occurs as white with
gray to black streaks, web-like markings and blotches.
Sometimes howlite is dyed to imitate other stones, but
in Barse designs we usually use howlite in its natural
form of white. The stone is named for its discoverer
Henry How, a Nova Scotia geologist. Howlite is found in
Canada (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick),
and the United States (California). Green howlite is a
dyed version of white howlite, used in a few beaded
Barse jewelry creations.
Idaho Opal
Mined in Spencer, Idaho, we use the opaque variety;
similar to African opal, but this is an all-American stone.
Rough Emerald
‘Rough’ emerald is actually emerald in a different grade
and more opaque quality than what most of us think of
as emerald. Emerald is the green variety of the mineral
beryl. The green color is caused by trace amounts of
chromium and sometimes iron.
Varacite (Varicite)
Naturally colored this sherbet light green, varascite is
generally mined in the United States. Native Americans
use varacite in spiritual ceremonies.
Apatite
Apatite is know for its green color but it is found in a
wide range of colors, from colorless to pink, yellow,
blue to violet. The green variety is sometimes called
asparagus-stone. The name ‘apatite’ has been taken
from a Greek word ‘apate’, which means to deceive. It
is so named because one can get easily confused with a
variety of other stones like tourmaline, peridot and beryl.
Green Onxy
Green onyx has the same properties as the black onyx
used in our designs, but is enhanced to achieve its vivid
green hue.
Cuprite
Cuprite is named for the Latin cuprum, “copper”, in
allusion to its copper content. This mineral can form
both as bright transparent red crystals, and as lustrous,
opaque crystals. The opaque form will have slight red
veining and slight transparency upon back-lighting.
Cuprite is often associated together with Native
Copper in copper deposits, and frequently forms as an
encrusting reddish coating over the Copper. Commonly
found in copper deposits of the SW us and Chile.
Rainbow Calsilica
This layered, multi-colored stone is a newly discovered
stone composed of layered calcium and silica. Rainbow
calsilica has only recently been found in Mexico and
Northern South America. Its origins and formation
remain a mystery.
Prehnite
Found in association with volcanic rocks, it is typically
pale green to yellowish green. It is the first stone to
be named after a person,Colonel H. von Prehn, who
discovered the mineral at the Cape of Good Hope, South
Africa, and brought the first specimens to Europe.
Black Tourmalated Quartz
This is a clear or milky quartz with embedded needles of
black tourmaline.
Boulder Turquoise
Boulder turquoise, often called Ribbon turquoise, is
created when veins of turquoise going through the host
rock are cut in such a way that it shows off these veins.
Most boulder turquoise comes from Nevada mines.
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Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones CONTINUED
Tiger’s Eye
Red Jasper
Red Tiger’s Eye
Tiger’s eye is a member of the quartz group, with its
major commercial source being Cape Province, South
Africa. Many legends say that wearing tiger’s eye is
beneficial for health, spiritual well being and protection
during travel. The red tiger’s eye used in Barse designs is
actually a heat treated version of the traditional brown
tiger’s eye. To achieve the desired red hue, the tiger’s
eye is heated, which oxidizes the iron, thus turning it red.
Rainbow Jasper
Jasper is an opaque, less pure form of chalcedony,
traditionally thought of as red. Association with other
minerals during formation sometimes gives jasper
interesting bands and patterns (it’s usually named after
its pattern). Rainbow jasper has rich dark striations
running through it. In the ancient world jasper was a
favorite gem; the name jasper can be found in ancient
Hebrew, Assyrian, Greek, and Latin. Jasper is mined in
many parts of the world.
Sunstone
Sunstone is a feldspar crystal formed in molten lava
and then discharged onto the surface of the earth by
a volcano. Many sunstones contain copper or pyrite
inclusions that cause an extra flash or shimmer as
millions of the shiny aligned particles reflect light. This
feature is called “schiller”. Sunstones are believed to
have been used by the Vikings for navigation.
Peach Aventurine
Rose Aventurine
Tomato Aventurine
Natural peach or rose aventurines, a variety of
translucent quartz, derive their color from minor
inclusions of oxidized iron. Called the “ whisper stone”,
peach aventurine is sometimes used to help reach the
quiet state necessary for meditation.
Aventurine is available in many varieties of red and
orange shades.
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Carnelian
The name of this dark reddish orange stone is said to
be derived from the Latin word “Carnis”, which means
flesh, due to its color. Some believed in the old Roman
times that the darker Carnelian represented males
and the lighter, females. Many believe that it creates a
bond between man and nature. Carnelian has natural
variations from light to dark.
Maple Jade
Orange Jade
Red Jade
Pink Jade
Our pink, red and orange varieties have similar properties
to the green and yellow varieties, but are dyed to achieve
the ideal colors for our designs.
Goldstone
Goldstone is actually a glittering glass, a man-made
substance. The sparkles you see in it are bits of copper to
enhance the luster.
Pink Opal
A true opal, Peruvian pink opal is a beautiful pastel pink,
nearly translucent variety of opal. Pink opal is most often
associated as a gemstone of love and non-violence.
Rhodochrosite
Also known as Inca Rose, this stone ranges from rose
red to pink. The name is derived from the Greek word
“rhodon” (pink) and “chros” (color). Rhodochrosite is
found in Argentina and South Africa.
Rhodonite
Rose pink in color, rhodonite often has black manganese
oxide veins running through it. Thought to stabilize
emotions, it soothes and brings order to feelings. It
is also known as the “Singer’s Stone”, as it is said to
improve sound-sensitivity. Rhodonite is mined primarily
in the United States, Brazil, India, and the USSR.
Stichtite
Stichtite (pronounced stick-tight) is a rare mineral
with an interesting purpleish rose-pink color. Mined
in Tasmania, it is thought to enlighten emotions and
tranquilize the environment.
Blue Chalcedony
Chalcedony is a stone found in almost every color and
in every location around the world. Chalcedony is
actually a name that includes the sub-categories of
stones like agate and onyx. But in jewelry usage, the
name Chalcedony is usually applied only to the light
blue translucent and waxy form of the stone. The term
chalcedony is derived from the name of the ancient
Greek town Chalkedon.
Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones CONTINUED
Purple Turquoise
Genuine Barse turquoise is enhanced to achieve its
bright purple color. Many stones used in contemporary
jewelry designs are dyed to achieve the brilliant colors
found in nature.
Purple Charolite
This rare mineral was first discovered in 1978 and
named for the Chara River in Siberia, Russia. Charoite
is translucent lavender to purple in color with a pearly
lustre.
Dumorterite
This stone can range from grayish blue to greenish blue,
also violet to reddish purple and brown. Barse designs
have typically used the purplish varieties. Dumorterite is
said to heighten organizational skills and bring a better
way of seeing things in life.
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis lazuli, Arabic & Latin for “blue stone”, is composed
of several minerals. The most common are lazurite (blue
color), pyrite (gold/silver metallic color) and calcite
(white color). For centuries lapis has been linked to
divinity. The Greeks and the Romans used lapis as an
award for personal bravery.
Amethyst Drusy
Citrine Drusy
Golden Drusy
Drusy literally means “covered by a large number of
minute crystals”. The term Drusy is used in the jewelry
industry to mean a gem that has this specific type of
gem formation. Golden drusy has an agate host matrix
underneath that is coated using high karat gold (23K or
24K) using a vapor deposition process.
Denim Lapis
Denim lapis retains the same properties as lapis,
but is just a lighter form of lapis, usually with more
calcite present. While this color of lapis at one time
was considered less desirable, its popularity today is
increasing as a fashionable color to enhance denim
apparel.
Copper Opal
Copper opal is a naturally veined stone mined in Mexico.
The stone has traces of copper in it. Sometimes it is
called redwood opal because it looks like redwood, but
it is a genuine stone.
Blue Agate
Also known as blue chalcedony, blue agate is sometimes
striated with dark internal bands of blue, and often has a
colorless streak. Blue agate is found worldwide, but it is
common in the mid western US. Because true blue agate
is rare, those used in Barse designs are color enhanced.
Black Onyx
Long ago, onyx was used as a worry stone because it was
believed that the stone absorbed negative energy. Onyx
is considered an agate; chalcedony quartz that forms in
concentric layers in a wide variety of colors and textures.
Each individual agate forms by filling a cavity in a host
rock. As a result, it is often found as a round nodule with
concentric bands, like the rings of a tree trunk. The stone
is then dyed to achieve its desired jet color.
Labradorite
Labradorite, a variety of feldspar, is a fairly abundant
grayish mineral that has brilliant flashes of color (usually
green, blue or red) after it is polished. This color
variation is referred to as labradorescence. The ability
of Labradorite to reflect different colors makes it a truly
versatile stone.
Moonstone
Norwegian Moonstone
Lava Rock
Lava rocks form when molten lava chills quickly. A thin,
glassy rind forms on the exposed surfaces because crystallization of the minerals in the melt cannot take place
in such a short time. This layer of glass provides the iridescent luster and black coloration of the rock.
Rainbow Obsidian
One of the most highly prized types of obsidian, this
semi-translucent stone is dark green to dark brown
and black in color. Obsidian is the result of volcanic lava
coming in contact with water. The word obsidian comes
from the Greek “opsianos”, meaning vision, because
obsidian was once used to make mirrors.
Golden Moonstone
Moonstone owes its name to the mysterious gleaming
which appears whenever the stone changes its position
in movement. Experts call this the “adularescence”, and
in earlier times the phases of the waxing and waning
moon were thought to be discerned in this phenomenon.
Typically originating in Sri Lanka or India, Moonstone is
also appreciated as a “dream stone”, as it is supposed to
bring about sweet and beautiful dreams.
Bronzite
Often found in meteorites, bronzite usually contains
inclusions of highly reflective minerals, such as hematite
and goethite, which give it a beautiful bronze-like effect
when polished.
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Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones CONTINUED
Unakite
A relatively “new “gemstone, Unakite naturally
combines two minerals, pink feldspar and pistachio
green epidote. Unakite is a stone believed to facilitate
a healthy reproductive system and pregnancy. It is
principally mined in the United States.
African Opal
We use the completely opaque variety of this stone.
African opal does not have the normal ‘color flashes’
associated with other opals, but does exhibit its own
natural beauty, with variations of cream, brown and
gray.
Hematite
Thickly cut hematite appears as a steel or silver gray.
When cut very thin, it is red and transparent. With the
common name “bloodstone”, hematite gets its name
from a Greek word meaning blood-like because of the
color of its powder. Hematite has long been a stone
representing war and was thought to protect warriors
and make them invincible in battle. Mineral and crystal
healers associate hematite with the treatment of bloodrelated illnesses.
Pyrite
Pyrite is an opaque, metallic stone, often called “fool’s
gold” because of its similar look to gold in its raw form.
The name pyrite derives from the Greek “pyros” for
“fire” because sparks flew from it when hit with another
mineral or a metal. Centuries ago, pyrite was polished by
the Native Americans and used as mirrors.
Astrophylite
(aka Hyperstein)
Similar to quartz, astrophylite is a dark mineral with
bladed metallic crystals. It is said to help with lucidity
and a feeling of well being.
Botswana Agate
Derived from Africa, this is a naturally colored agate
with no enhancement. Its colors can vary from gray to
light brown with a hint of pink, always with bands of
opaque white. Botswana agate is believed to stimulate
the exploration of the unknown.
Russian Serpentine
From Russia’s Ural Mountains, Russian serpentine is an
olive green gemstone with a black matrix pattern. The
word “serpentine” comes from the Latin “serpens”, or
snake. It is thought to be named after a serpent; for its
smooth and brilliant surface, like that of a snake.
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Picture Jasper
Feldspar Jasper
Impression Jasper
Snakeskin Jasper
Dragon’s Blood Jasper
Brown Snowflake Obsidian
Obsidian is a very shiny natural volcanic glass produced
when lava cools very quickly. Inclusions of small, white,
radially clustered crystals of cristobalite in obsidian
produce a blotchy or snowflake pattern, like that found
in the snowflake variety.
Eagle Eye Jasper
Ocean Jasper
Faux Tortoise
The use of real tortoise shell is illegal. This simulated
version is made of a mottled resin that is formed to look
similar to a tortoise’s shell.
Brown Ocean Jasper
Yellow Jasper
Mahogany Obsidian
Similar in properties to regular obsidian, mahogany
obsidian is also formed in areas near volcanic activity.
But this variety is created when impurities invade the
pure black glass that becomes regular obsidian.
Freemont Jasper
Green Jasper
Jasper is an opaque and fine-grained variety of
Chalcedony. Jasper is found in a variety of colors and
patterns. It often contains organic material and mineral
oxides that give it interesting patterns, bands and colors.
Many of these patterns resemble landscapes or animal
skins, thus creating interesting names. A huge variety
of jaspers exist from all around the world. ‘New’ varieties
with exotic names are discovered often.
Translucent Stones
Those which do allow light to pass through.
Clear Quartz
Quartz is one of the most common minerals on the
Earth’s crust, and encompasses many of the stones that
are used in Barse designs. Types of quartz include rock
crystal (clear), amethyst (purple), rose quartz (pink),
citrine (yellow), smoky (dark brown), chalcedony (waxlike in a variety of colors), agate (banded colors), and
jasper (various colors).
Rutilated Quartz
Green Rutilated Quartz
Rutile is a major ore of titanium, which is a metal used
for high tech alloys. It often forms needle-like crystal
inclusions inside quartz. This form of quartz is known as
rutilated quartz and it looks like small bars of embedded
gold.
Blue Crackle Quartz
This quartz is heated and then cooled into a dye bath
to create its color. Natural occlusions add to its beauty.
Blue Topaz (or glass, or cz)
Topaz is a common gemstone that has been used
for centuries in jewelry. Blue topaz, often confused
with aquamarine, is rarely natural. Colorless topaz, a
common variation, can be treated by irradiation to
produce a wide range of shades of blue. Thus treated,
blue topaz is one of the most popular and widely used of
all gemstones. Blue topaz is the Texas state gemstone as
well as the birthstone for the month of November.
Peridot
The color of peridot can vary from yellow-green to olive
green. The most important deposits of Peridot are on
the “serpent isle” of Zebirget in the Red Sea. According
to Greek legend, vicious snakes lived on the island,
guarding the precious stone and killing anyone who
dared approach it.
Golden Obsidian
The golden variety of obsidian can appear dark, almost
black, but with a golden sheen when viewed at different
angles.
Citrine
Citrine is a variety of quartz which gets its yellow color
from the presence of iron. The name appears to be taken
from the French word “citron” (lemon) referring to its
color. Most stones sold as citrine today are, in fact, heattreated amethysts. Gem quality citrine is very rare.
Lemon Quartz
Usually occurring in Brazil, lemon quartz is a variety of
quartz that is heat treated to achieve the desired color.
Pineapple Quartz
Pineapple Quartz is actually a light lemony colored glass,
treated to obtain the perfect shade of lightly colored
pineapple.
Raspberry Quartz
A quartz stone that is dyed to achieve its vivid color.
Corundum
Corundum is a very hard mineral, second only to the
diamond in its composition. The natural red variety of
corundum is known as ‘ruby’ and all the other colors
of corundum are known as ‘sapphire’. The corundum
stones used in Barse designs are termed “thermal
corundum”, and are synthetically produced to achieve
the fun variety of colors used in our designs.
Rhodalite Garnet
Rhodolite garnet tends to be lighter in color than most
other kinds of red garnet. It can be easily confused with
ruby because of the similarity in color. The mixture of
red and violet in rhodolites is highly desirable and
popular. Purple or purple-red is the most expensive and
sought after color for rhodolite.
Garnet
Cherry Quartz Glass
With the look of transparent clear quartz and rosecolored inclusions swirling through its interior, cherry
quartz enhances many of Barse’s beaded designs. The
beads are crafted from a glass base material, utilizing
an extremely specialized process to produce its exquisite
coloration.
Rose Quartz
Traces of titanium cause the rose-tint in this milky
quartz stone. In ancient Rome, rose quartz was popular
for making seals.
Green Garnet
The most common garnet is red in color, but it can
actually vary from red to orange to green. Garnet has
been known as the warrior’s stone for centuries. It was
carried by many soldiers to ward off death and injury.
Shadow Quartz
Similar in properties to rutilated quartz, but with grayer
undertones.
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Translucent stones CONTINUED
Smoky Quartz
Amethyst (or glass, or cz)
Also from the quartz family, amethyst has varying
shades of violet hues. The Greeks and Romans believed
that amethyst prevented drunkenness and hangovers.
The word amethyst comes from the Greek word
“amethistos” which means “that which pushes away
drunkenness”.
Light Smoky Quartz
Iolite
Known as the gem of the Vikings, this purplish blue
stone was used by Viking explorers as the world’s first
polarizing filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they
could determine the exact position of the sun, and
navigate safely to the new world and back. The name
iolite comes from the Greek “ios”, which means violet.
Coffee Quartz
Quartz is one of the most beautiful minerals derived
from the Earth, and encompasses a wide range of
stones found on the market today. One of our favorites
is smoky quartz. This quartz varies in color from light
brown to deep, smoky hues. It is believed that smoky
quartz promotes joy in living and business success.
Organic Gemstones
Gems that are products of plants and animals, rather than having a mineral origin, are known as organics.
Freshwater Pearls
As their name implies, freshwater pearls are formed
in freshwater mussels that live in lakes, rivers, and
other bodies of fresh water. Most freshwater cultured
pearls sold today come from China. These colors are a
result of the variety of mussel species, genetics, water
quality and the type of cultured process used. The term
‘cultured’ means that an artificial ‘nucleus’ is planted in
the mussel. Being irritated by the intruder, the mussel
secretes a calcium carbonate substance called nacre
to cover the irritant. This secretion process is repeated
many times, thus producing a pearl.
Angel skin coral
Our angel skin coral is a pale pink coral, similar in
properties to our red coral pieces. The delicate shades
of angelskin coral make it one of the most valued colors
of coral. True angel skin coral was popular during the
Victorian era and was often used in cameos.
Pink Mother-of-Pearl
Caramel Mother-of-Pearl
Spiny Oyster Shell
This interesting shell forms spiky protrusions on the
outer part of its shell. Spiny oyster is found in the Sea
of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico. It was Cortez who
“discovered” Baja and this beautiful shell. Colors found
in the shell range from light orange to deep orange-red,
with some shells actually producing a clear purple shade.
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Mother-of-Pearl
Black Mother-of-Pearl
This offering from the sea has been used in items of
adornment for thousands of years. Mother-of-Pearl
is actually the iridescent lining found in many types of
shells. In China, mother-of Pearl has been prescribed for
over 1,000 years for heart palpitations and high blood
pressure.
Organic Gemstones CONTINUED
Coral Branches
Red Coral
Coral is formed by the build-up of skeletal remains of
colonies of tiny marine animals known as coral polyps. It
grows in branch-like formations. Coral has been used in
jewelry for thousands of years. The deeper the color, the
more prized the coral. The small branches of coral that
are used in jewelry making are a faster-growing variety
than that found in typical coral formations.
Horn
Abalone Shell
Black Horn
This natural organic material derives from the horns of
cattle.
Paua Shell
The abalone is a type of mollusk that grows predominantly in the waters in and around California. Abalone shell is iridescent on the inside of the shell, with
variations of blue, green, purple and grey.
Wood
Another natural offering often used in Barse designs
is wood from various types of trees harvested from
sustainable conditions
Red Sea Bamboo ‘Coral’
Orange Sea Bamboo ‘Coral’
This organism is found in the sea, with characteristics
similar to coral, but without the protected, endangered
status of coral. Coral reefs are protected because these
beautifully diverse ecosystems are home to millions
of fish and creatures and also provide protection to
our coastal communities. Sea Bamboo is a practical
alternative to using coral.
Golden Coral Branches
Our golden coral is a form of sea bamboo that is color
enhanced to achieve its hue. True golden coral is a rare
natural occurrence.
Salwag Nuts
Often for designs that need a casual, almost “island”
look, our designers will turn to a variety of natural seeds
or nuts. Sometimes these are naturally colored, like the
Salwag nut from the Salwag Palm tree.
Orange Sponge Coral
Limestone Apple Coral
Blue Coral
This organism is derived from the sea, with a porous
surface that resembles coral. But unlike true coral, it
grows abundantly in dense colonies. The colonies can be
tree-like, plate-like or column-like.
Jet
Jet is formed from the remains of wood immersed in
stagnant water millions of years ago, then compacted
and fossilized by the pressure of burial. Jet was popular
for mourning jewelry in the 19th century because of its
somber color.
Amber
Formed from the fossilized resin of trees that lived
millions of years ago, amber has been used for jewelry
and religious objects since prehistoric times. Most
commercial amber comes from the Baltic coasts of
Poland, and tends to be found in soft sediments, or in
the sea. Green amber is a natural variation of Baltic
amber and is generally considered more valuable than
golden amber.
Sea Pearls
By contrast, saltwater (sea) pearls grow in oysters that
live in the ocean, usually in protected lagoons. Both
organisms produce a pearl in the same way. Foreign
material enters it and cannot be expelled. To reduce the
irritation, the mollusk coats the intruder with the same
secretion it uses for shell building.
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The Truth About Turquoise
At Barse, we are often asked questions about , since it is one of the main stones used in our designs. We want
our customers to be informed about the value of natural turquoise stones from Barse.
We use only stabilized genuine turquoise in our designs. Following is a summary of the types of turquoise, or
things that look like turquoise, being used in the jewelry market today. Be informed, and shop with confidence!
Natural, straight out of the ground non-treated turquoise
Turquoise is hard enough to be considered a gemstone, but it is comparatively soft. Turquoise of this quality
is hard and stable enough to be cut with no form of treatment. It is extremely rare to find turquoise of this
quality in today’s market. Only 1-2% of turquoise mined is in this category, and it is very expensive.
Genuine stabilized turquoise
When turquoise is mined, it is generally too soft and brittle to sustain being cut, shaped, and polished for use
in jewelry.
Sometimes turquoise is mined in large chunks straight out of the ground, but it needs to undergo a process
that allows it to be cut into cabs and beads, so the turquoise has to first be stabilized. This method involves
filling the tiny porous parts of the turquoise under pressure and slowly filling it with a clear stabilizing agent
like epoxy or acrylic. This process takes weeks to achieve. The result is a harder stable material that can be cut
and polished to a beautiful shine.
Sometimes a mine produces chunks of turquoise that are smaller, but no less beautiful than a larger piece
of turquoise. These smaller pieces are also stabilized, and are usually done so by forming them together in
a ‘brick’ of turquoise that fuses the genuine pieces together, and stabilizes them. This allows larger slabs of
turquoise to be cut into beautiful ‘statement’ pieces that Barse is known for.
We use both types of stabilized turquoise (large chunks straight out of the ground and formed ‘brick’
turquoise) in Barse designs.
Genuine stabilized turquoise, color enhanced
This is the same as the above, however during the stabilizing process coloring agents that are compatible with
the stabilizing materials are added to obtain a color of turquoise that does not naturally exist. Our lime green
turquoise and purple turquoise are examples of this.
Reconstituted turquoise
This process is achieved by taking bits of tiny turquoise pieces, those too small to be stabilized or utilized for
anything else, and grinding them down to a powder. This powder is then mixed with an adhesive agent and
other fillers to form a block or predetermined cabochon and bead shapes. This is not genuine turquoise; the
amount of filler is usually much more than any amount of the powdered turquoise and should always be
identified as Reconstituted Turquoise. Barse does not use reconstituted turquoise in our designs.
Turquoise colored resin
This is essentially plastic, colored to look like turquoise. In recent years this has been pumped with brown
and black lines to resemble the matrix found in a lot of the natural turquoise. This obviously is a synthetic
turquoise imitation and should not even be identified as anything to do with turquoise. Unfortunately a lot of
manufacturers deceive their customers and a good amount of this material ends up at the retail level and sold
to the consumer as real turquoise! Barse does not use this material in our designs.
Natural stones dyed to resemble turquoise
Certain natural stones are sometimes dyed to resemble turquoise. Two of those used the most at this time are
Howlite and Magnesite. It used to be very easy to identify these. In recent years the dye process has improved
and some of this looks real, and at times hard to distinguish from turquoise. At times these are identified and
sold as what they are, and that is fine as long as they are marked properly, and the customer and even the
distributor know what they are buying. At other times, especially in the last couple of years, some suppliers
have tried to pass them, specifically the Magnesite, as turquoise.