Semi-Precious and Coloured Stone Frequently Asked Questions

If you want to buy and use stone beads with confidence, here are a few things you should know.

Stone Beads are made by hand from rocks dug out of the dirt. They are not consistent. If they are too consistent, they have been manufactured in some way, usually reconstituted.

Q: What is "reconstituted?"A: This means that the tiny bits and dust from working the stone are swept up, ground, and mixed with a resin and molded back into stone and recut into beads. While is sounds labour intensive - and it is - for some of the more expensive stones, (such as lapis and turquoise) - it is usually worth it, to the manufacturer. The end result to you is that you get beads that are usually half the price of the "real" thing - do contain some of the real thing, are more colour-stable, and more consistent in colour and texture. They have less of the irregularities that genuine, first-cut stone has.

Q: Are your beads treated or colour-enhanced? A: Virtually every stone bead on the market is somehow treated. Let me say that again, virtually all the semi-precious stone beads are treated somehow - usually at least by heating to make them appear clearer and the colours more vivid.

It is now such an industry accepted practice, that most suppliers do not mention it, as they assume the buyer knows, and will assume they are treated.

Think of it as analagous to wearing makeup - if it is not considered wrong to put on lipstick so that you look your best when you leave the house, then heat-treating stones to make the colours richer and brighter is the same idea.

So long as the treatment is permanent and does not make the stone less strong or harm it in some other way - then it is perfectly acceptable.

In the long run, heat-treating has made beautiful stones more accessible and more affordable to the consumer, which means we can all afford to have that pretty amethyst necklace. ;-)

Should you find good quality stones that are not treated, you should be very suspicious, or prepared to pay a LOT more, or both.

Q: Tell me about hematite/hemalyke. A: Most of the hematite that you see on the market, the very glossy steely, shiny hematite is hemalyke, technically - reconstituted hematite. Really hematite is not as pretty or as accessible for the general public.

Q: How can I be sure my stone beads are real? A: First, do a sanity check. Are they quartz chips? No one would bother to imitate quartz chips - there is no financial incentive. If the beads you are buying are not that expensive, they are more likely to be "real."

Real stones are imperfect. Look for flaws, inclusions (stuff inside the stone) - changes in texture.

Q: The holes on the stone beads I bought are really small. A: Yes - that is correct - the holes in stone beads are small, to not weaken the bead or waste too much of it.

Q: Some of the holes don't go all the way through the bead! A: Try stringing from the other side - the holes are hand-drilled, sometimes from one side and then the other, and sometimes, where they meet isn't always a perfect line.

Q: I've been told that Cherry Quartz is actually glass? A: Yep, that's right. All the "fruit" quartzes, i.e. Cherry quartz, Pineapple, Blueberry, aren't found in nature. But, aren't they fun? We put them in with the stones because mostly, that is where our customer expect to find them.

Q: What is goldstone?A: Goldstone is a man-made stone, being made of glass, with copper flakes suspended in it. It is also known as aventurine, and monkstone. Lampworkers also use this in beadmaking, and it is also used in handmade marbles, where it is known as "lutz." The most common base colour is an earthy brick red, but midnight blue and deep forest green are also available.

Some places are now calling this "Sand Stone" -- but as it is so far removed from "sandstone" - which is a crumbly composite, naturally occuring stone, easily carved but not very durabable and seldom used in jewelry, we'll just resist that little trend. ;-)

Q: I've heard that I should buy ________ to have ________ effect. A: Buy them because you love them - not because someone told you to buy them to realign your karma or build up your immune system or whatever. Buy what you love and it will make you happy and you will feel better. Your heart knows you best.

Q: Where do your stone beads come from?A: It depends on the bead - but the whole process of making a stone bead takes the bead on a journey around the world. For instance - the stone rough may be mined in Sri Lanka or Madagascar -- and then shipped to Thailand for heat treating. Then sent to India where the rough is first shaped roughly, then shaped into rounds or faceted or other shapes. It is then drilled, by hand, and then polished. The loose beads are then sorted, and graded, and strung, again, by hand. Finally, they are packed up and sent to wholesalers and then to distributors in North America. Every bead that you string has had a least a dozen people counting on that bead for their livelihood. It is amazing, when you think about it!