| Original Message: I agree they are attractive. Here's how.... |
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Hi Luann, Over that past few years I have shown new Chinese banded agates quite a few times, but I can't think of much that would be quite like these. The "laminated" effect derives from the layered structure of the agate they selected for these beads. Basically, the Chinese are acquiring Brazilian agate, that is nondescript and boring, but that takes color treatments well and easily. This is the stuff the Germans at Idar-Oberstein have been using since about 1881, for these same reasons and processes. This Brazilian agate has terrific "porosity"—being able to absorb the mineral baths it is subjected to to add color. In the case of the present agate, these beads have been made brown/black and red. (The red to a much lesser degree.) This makes the material banded brown or black agate, with some red or reddish areas (appearing more reddish-brown). Presently, the Chinese can color agate multicolors—and I have specimens that combine red with yellow, green, and black. Lately a lot is black and red. The brown/black color results from soaking in a sugar solution (providing carbon). The carnelian effect comes from iron. (The Germans dissolved iron nails in sulphuric or nitric acid. I don't know what the Chinese are doing to get an iron-rich solution.) Then, depending on how the agate is cut, the patterns are either linear (stripes) or circular (spots and circles), or combinations—a lot depending on the layered structure of the agate too. So, over the past fifteen years, Chinese beadmakers have taken advantage of these methods, and have a made a lot of beads that I would say are closely related. So, the answer to you question is, yes—I have shown and discussed similar beads a number of times. (Often right after Tucson!) Be well. Jamey All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users |
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