Jasper Stone Beads
Jasper
Stone Beads are opaque and crypto-crystalline variety of quartz.
These beads have different type of colors such as yellow, brown,
green, yellow, red and white. These stone beads are little expensive
and therefore, these are mostly used in expensive jewelry. In some
decorative items, like candle-sticks, ashtrays etc. these beads are
also used. In these beads, the colors are solid and opaque and even
some colorful-patterns are also present in these beads. The
different names of these jasper stone beads are Biggs, Imperial,
Bloodstone, Plum-blossom, Mookaite etc. When these jasper beads are added to a design, due to their unique slick pattern and classic shapes, the attraction of this design increases by many folds. These beads can be freely used with soft-flex, silk or cotton thread, wire as these are tough gemstones beads. Agate is a form of jasper that is heavily bonded. As jasper beads have wonderful durability and come in almost all colors, therefore, these beads are considered as wonderful elements in jewelry making projects.
Jasper Stone
Chemical Formula: SiO2
Mineral Name: Jasper
Color: Brick red to brownish red
Hardness: 6.5- 7.5
Specific Gravity: 2.6- 2.64
Jasper is a dark green, semi-translucent to opaque form of semiprecious chalcedony. It derives its name from the Greek iaspis. It owes its color to admixed hematite, but when it occurs with clay admixed, the color is a yellowish white or gray, or with goethite, a brown or yellow. Jasper is opaque, fine-grained or dense variety of the silica mineral chert. Jasper, long used for jewelry and ornamentation, has a dull luster but takes a fine polish. Its hardness and other physical properties are those of quartz.
It is used in many forms of jewelry and lapidary arts. Jasper was known as the great "rain-bringer" in the fourth century. Jasper is one of the gemstones, that used in commesso, also called florentine mosaic. Commesso is a technique of fashioning pictures with thin, cut-to-shape pieces of brightly colored, semiprecious stones. It can also be worn as beads or cabochon jewelry. Jasper strengthens the stomach and is believed to cure gynecological problems. It is also thought to drive away evil spirits and protect against snake and spider bites. Jasper is commonly found in the regions of North Africa, Sicily, France, India, Venezula and Germany, USA etc.
