Very helpful!

While my new beads are just that, new, they are very exotic looking and I hope to incorporate them into some nice pieces.

And I also hope that the families that make them are getting some kind of living out of making them for sale, and it helps them upgrade their standard of living.

So many factors to consider.

My background is not in beads, it is in the "fine jewelry / gem" market and it's ancient past.

I spend 3 hours on Sunday watching a special on the diamond industry which aired on the Discovery chanel and, wow, that floored me.

I had known for years about some of the ugliness involved, but I certainly learned a lot more.

Anyway, thanks so much for the info, and you are right, buy what you like but buyer beware.