Best material to string long stone/pearl necklace

[Katbran]

OOOoooh thank you Lisa ! Very kind of you

 

[LouiseH]

Lovely, just lovely!

 

[lisa c]

Not kind, Kat; I actually thought "lyrical" when I saw it! It put me in mind of windy skies and clouds, with the silver as the sparkles on water.

Please excuse my ignorance, the blue is the Peruvian opal? Gorgeous; offhand, does anyone know a supplier?

 

[Katbran]

I have found them lots of places - Zever in Sydney has it, tupilbeads on ebay also has quite a bit.

 

[lisa c]

Thanks, I'll go window shopping!

 

[Katbran]

It is a dyed stone, Peruvian opal as I understand it is white and they dye it pale blue or pink usually. But it's very pretty and not very expensive.

 

[Marianne]

It is my understanding that genuine blue/aqua Peruvian opal has been mined out for several years. The beads sold now have been died and or heat treated. Even the first finds yielded only small amounts of the pure aqua-blues, gem grade was limited and quite expensive. Most material had black, grey, brown matrix included. The pink was more available, but I suspect treatment on much of that now as well. Will try and get some photos of jewelry I made with blue Peruvian opal beads about 10 years ago. (need to go on a search

 

[lisa c]

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, can't wait for those pics Marianne!

 

[Katbran]

Be interesting to see what the 'true blue' material actually looks like ! Like I said they were clear that this material is dyed .. But it's still pretty.. And cheap !