Saturday, May 25, 2013

African Turquoise

African Turquoise

 
       Last Wednesday I went to the Rings & Things bead show in Mesa and bought some beautiful African Turquoise.    I've never used it before, but I loved the small ovals and the pretty turquoise color.   It looked like the perfect stone to use for wire wrapping.  
 
 
 
    I used copper 20 gauge wire to add wrapped loops onto each bead, linking them together as I went.   Copper looks great with turquoise.   Probably because real turquoise is found with copper when its mined.
 
      I knew African Turquoise wasn't "real" turquoise when I bought it.   For one thing, I could afford it.   More importantly, Rings & Things had a sign that told about it.   I had to smile when I read the sign.    African Turquoise, it turns out, is a type of jasper---my favorite stone---that is found in Africa.      
 
       Before I went to the bead show this year, I had told myself I would not buy any more jasper.   Because I like it so much, I tend to buy it all the time.   I have a lot of it, and I knew I needed to branch out and try different stones.    So I had to smile when, despite my best intentions, I was drawn to the jasper. 
 
       It looks nearly identical to real turquoise, but at a fraction of the cost.   For me, it's a great substitute.  
 

 
 
 


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