Natural Green Stone Cylinder Beads for Jewelry Making

Description

These loose, natural jade-like green stone beads from Canada add beauty to any necklace or bracelet. Use them creatively in your jewelry-making.

Length: One Strand = 7.5 inches (190.5mm)
Size of each bead: About 6mm x 10mm. (0.23in x 0.39in) About 16 beads per one strand

(Because these beads are cut and polished in a factory mass production setting, we quote the possible least number of beads in one strand. The product we send will equal that number or more. This is a natural product, processed in a factory. Make sure you order sufficient quantity to avoid color differences from different batches.)

We believe these beads are real jade, but have been unable, as yet, to get confirmation from the supplier.

ABOUT JADE

Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite, or jadeite..

Jade is well known for its ornamental use in East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian art. It is commonly used in Latin America, such as Mexico and Guatemala. The use of jade in Mesoamerica for symbolic and ideological ritual was influenced by its rarity and value among pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures.

In prehistoric and historic China jade was considered to be the “imperial gem” and was used to create many utilitarian and ceremonial objects, from indoor decorative items to jade burial suits.
In the history of the art of the Chinese empire, jade has had a special significance, comparable with that of gold and diamonds in the West. Jade was used for the finest objects and cult figures, and for grave furnishings for high-ranking members of the imperial family.

Jade in prehistoric and historic Japan was used for jade bracelets. It was a symbol of wealth and power. Leaders also used jade in rituals. It is the national stone of Japan. Examples of use in Japan can be traced back to the early Jomon period about 7,000 years ago.

The jade culture that blossomed in ancient Japan respected green ones, and jade of other colors was not used. There is a theory that the reason why the meaning is that it was believed that the color of green enables the reproduction of fertility, the life, and the soul of the earth.

Nephrite jade in New Zealand is known as pounamu in the Māori language (often called “greenstone” in New Zealand English), and plays an important role in Māori culture. It is considered a taonga, or treasure, and therefore protected under the Treaty of Waitangi, and the exploitation of it is restricted and closely monitored. It is found only in the South Island of New Zealand, known as Te Wai Pounamu in Māori—”The [land of] Greenstone Water”, or Te Wahi Pounamu—”The Place of Greenstone”.

Jade was first identified in Canada by Chinese settlers in 1886 in British Columbia. At this time jade was considered worthless because they were searching for gold. Jade was not commercialized in Canada until the 1970s.