The Silver Mesa's stone bead necklaces are hand strung by Gwynna Liles, Apache.  Using quality beads from around the world, Gwyn selects the perfect color and shape combinations for each piece.  All necklaces are finished with 100% sterling silver findings.

About the beads used in our Multicolor Choker:

Jasper
Jasper is a type of quartz (chalcedony), hard and durable, and richly colored by minerals, such as iron oxide.  There are many varieties of jasper, and each has a unique look.  Red jasper is a deep rich clay red color.  Picture jasper offers beads in earthy shades of cream, rust, chocolate brown, black and gray, and some with the characteristic "scenic landscape" patterns that gave this jasper its name.

Turquoise, stabilized
Turquoise occurs naturally in many shades of blue and green.  Blue shades result from the presence of copper, and iron is usually responsible for the green tones.  Inclusions of matrix (the rock in which the turquoise formed) sometimes add distinctive patches and veining patterns.  Turquoise that is too fragile in its natural state to be cut, polished and subjected to the demands of every day wear, can be successfully stabilized with resins to make it harder, darker and less brittle.  When done properly, the results are quite satisfactory. 

Black Onyx
Onyx, an opaque form of quartz (chalcedony), is a long standing favorite for jewelry.  It is hard and polishes well. Although it occurs naturally in black, it is generally dyed to produce a more uniform color.

Snowflake Obsidian
Obsidian is a black volcanic glass formed by the rapid cooling of lava.  In prehistoric times, it was often shaped into arrowheads and cutting tools. The snowflake variety is named for its grayish-white inclusions that resemble snowflakes.