Description
Amazonite, Matte, Blue Mix, Natural, Smooth Round
This price is for one strand 15 to 16 inches long
6mm strands have 60 to 65 pieces
8mm strands have 43 to 48 pieces
Amazonite is a striking green to blue-green variety of microcline, which belongs to the feldspar mineral group. While it is named after the Amazon River, amazonite is not actually found there. It's likely that early travelers confused it with another green gemstone from the region, or named it simply to evoke the lush, tropical greens of the rainforest.
Amazonite's color comes from trace amounts of lead and water trapped inside the feldspar crystals. But there is a catch: the lead alone doesn't turn it green. The stone actually requires natural gamma radiation from surrounding rocks over millions of years to alter the lead ions and trigger that beautiful teal hue. If you heat amazonite up too high, it will actually lose its color because the heat reverses this radiation effect!
Mixed Amazonite beads offer a wider color range, displaying not just shades of pale sea-mist blue green, but also gray, brown, yellow, and rust. Sometimes the stones contain visible bits of sparkly pyrite, providing even more visual interest.
Hardness 6-6.5
The source of these beads is China and they are cut, drilled and polished in China
Matte beads have a velvety or frosted surface, rather than a shiny or reflective surface. These stones undergo additional tumbling that require knowledge of the material and skill. Each stone type requires a different amount of time in the tumbler depending on the material's hardness and characteristics. The matte finish also creates a variation in color from the traditional finish of the bead
