Not only are semi- precious beads attractive, it is also said that they possess mystical powers which has been a hit as a raw material in bracelets coming from diverse religions.

Jade is among the examples of semi- precious beads that have been a favorite stone when making certain jewelries. With green as mostly the associated color, it is generally opaque which can also appear in shades such as black, lavender and orange, among the others. As a matter of fact, the mineral is composed of two different elements. One is nephrite which is actually a type of actinolite far different from the other varieties.

Among the semi- precious beads that can be spotted in Asia, jade is abundant in Myanmar where the most exquisite kind is called Imperial. It can also be excavated in the nearby region of Australia which mines chalcedony, regarded as highly valuable in the country. However, there are devious sellers who label another type of stone as more prized therefore, misleading the customers who are interested to purchase. Africa also joins the list where the continent boast of its very own, dubbed as Transvaal.

Turquoise is among the examples of semi- precious beads that have been widely appreciated by people who fancy creating ornamentations. Believed to be very rare, it arrived in Europe as a trade material coming from Turkey in the height of the Crusades. The stone obtained its moniker from a French word where the inherent tones of vibrant blue are rooted from copper. Albeit, there are also witnessed in bright green that is, with the combination of chromium. With a rate of five to six in the MOH scale, this mineral can be readily damaged so extra care should be given.

Due to the fact that turquoise is very exceptional here on earth, this is one of the semi- precious beads that have a grading system in order for the class to be properly recognized. It can be categorized into natural, stabilized, treated, reconstituted and imitation. Natural is very expensive which covers a percentage of three in the global market. Stabilized is soft which has been fused with lucent resin. Treated is more affordable which has been injected with dye. Reconstituted is sort of powdery which has been fashioned into blocks then cut into shapes. Imitation is a look- alike of glass which represents the majority in the business exchange today.

Even if acknowledged as semi- precious beads, they are still very much treasured.