Chalcedony Beads

Frequently asked questions

• What is chalcedony?

  Chalcedony is microcrystalline quartz — silica composed of densely packed fibrous crystals too fine to see with the naked eye, giving the stone its characteristic smooth waxy luster and translucent-to-semi-translucent body. In mineralogy, "chalcedony" is the umbrella term for the whole microcrystalline quartz family (agate, carnelian, onyx, jasper, and others are all chalcedonies). In the bead trade, the name has narrowed to mean the translucent waxy material in soft blue, lavender, pink, green, and white that doesn't fall into one of the named sub-varieties.
• What's the difference between chalcedony and agate?

  Agate is a banded chalcedony — chalcedony deposited in rhythmic crystalline layers that produce its diagnostic bands. Trade chalcedony is the unbanded form: smooth, translucent, no rhythmic layering. Both are microcrystalline quartz, both are Mohs 6.5–7, both take the same care. The visual difference is bands (agate) vs. no bands (chalcedony).
• Is blue chalcedony dyed?

  Some is, some isn't. Natural blue chalcedony — particularly from Namibian and Turkish deposits — is a soft, slightly variable blue from trace mineral content in the rough. Dyed "blue chalcedony" is typically dyed white chalcedony or dyed agate sold under the chalcedony name, and the vivid aqua chalcedony in the bead trade is usually dyed as well; the saturated, perfectly even, slightly-too-vivid color is the dye signal. Treatment is labelled where known.
• How durable is chalcedony for daily wear?

  Mohs 6.5–7 — durable enough for any jewelry application, including rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Standard care: wipe with a soft cloth and mild soap; avoid ultrasonics and steam cleaning on dyed material. Natural chalcedony has no fade risk and no special handling requirements.
• What colors and cuts do chalcedony beads come in?

  Natural chalcedony's palette is pastel: soft blue, green, pink, purple, white, and occasional orange, tan, and gray. Saturated jewel tones — vivid pink, magenta, neon green, electric purple — are dye signals. Beads run from 4mm to 10mm smooth rounds through faceted nuggets, chips, coins, and rondelles to tear drops and free-form ovals up to about 30mm, with the occasional collar cut from larger rough.