Carnelian Beads

Carnelian beads are made of carnelian quartz, thus, turning into a gemstone jewelry. There is no dearth of this valuable mineral where India tops the charts for developing the best gemstones. Carnelian comes directly from India. The beads are are at their best when handcrafted. They are given well defined dimensions. Indian carnelian beads are different from Chinese carnelians which are pale in color.

Small carnelian beads appear more translucent while large carnelian beads are comparatively opaque.

Color of Carnelian Beads

The procedure of making carnelian beads involve heating and shaping agate several times, which leads to a change of color as in :

Deep orange Red

Brown Yellow

The Manufacture of Carnelian Beads

Carnelian beads have to undergo a grilling procedure before taking the final shape as desired. Lets have a look at this tedious task :

• A nodule is selected, the initial step.
• It is dried for sometime.
• The first heating of the dried nodule takes place.
• This is followed by the first chipping of the heated nodule.
• A rough cut is given to the chipped nodule.
• The second round of heating takes place.
• Followed by second chipping of the nodule.
• Grinding, polishing & drilling procedure continues to with the task.
• The finished bead, thus, comes into its final being which is later on used for making jewelery & other artifacts

They are later on drilled with a stone drill, sometimes 12 centimeters or more. Artistic touch is given to these beads by skilled craftsmen whose technology has been handed down from generation to generation.

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