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This is the place to find out what a Peridot or a Labradorite is. There are over 80 bead-related terms for you to browse.

Note: Some of the definitions and descriptions used here are copyright 1995 by Ornamental Resources, Incorporated. We are grateful for their permission to quote from their catalog to create this feature. This information may not be reproduced or distributed for financial gain or included in commercial collections or compilations without express permission from Ornamental Resources, Inc., P.O. Box 3010WW, Idaho Springs CO 80452. Visitors are permitted to print out this section for personal use only.

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Jasper is a member of the chalcedony family, a type of quartz. The stone is opaque and fine grained, and typically occurs in shades of red, yellow, green, greyish blue, brown and combinations of these. Jasper is partially organic, and is used in many forms of jewelry and lapidary arts. Jasper was known as the great "rain-bringer" in the fourth century, and is known as a powerful physical healer said to promote beauty and grace and rebound negativity back to the sender. It is a stone of the earth, and therefore very grounding. Jasper is commonly found in the regions of North Africa, Sicily, France, India, Venezuela, Germany and the United States.

Jet, also called lignite, is a soft brownish-black material that has been formed from peat under pressure. It can be found in bituminous coal seams within Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. It takes a high polish and was easily worked by the Anasazi Indians into beads, buttons, mosaics with shell and turquoise, and various carved items during the Chaco's high period from 1020 to 1120 A.D. The Zunis began making jewelry w ith cut stones, specifically jet, turquoise and shell, in about 1890. Thirty years later, the Zuni began carving fetishes, or small animal pendants, from these same materials. They were inspired by artifacts being recovered from excavations in the nearby Hawikuh Pueblo.