Bowenite is often mistaken as Jade. Bowenite is a hard, compact variety of the serpentinite species antigorite. It has been used for tools, weapons, and jewelry by the Māori in New Zealand (it is also called Tangiwaite or Māori Greenstone), and this gemstone was used for jewelry by Fabergé.
Bowenite is also the state mineral of Rhode Island in the USA.
It typically ranges in color from dark green to light olive green and in shades approaching yellow. Bowenite was named by James D. Dana in 1850 after George T. Bowen, who analyzed it in 1822.
This is Bowenite from the New Zealand company of Tuarangi Jade Jewellery. The Maori classification system for pounamu describes four varieties: Kahurangi, Kawakawa, Inanga, and Tangiwai ((Bowenite) is the type of serpentine).
This beautiful, elegant, long necklace is made of high-quality natural Bowenite. The bowenite beads are top quality, pure, uniform, and soft green, and they're sumptuous in how they look and feel.
The beads are very old. Each bead was cut by hand and polished by a craftsman. The beads are much older than the necklace.
Authentic, natural color. No thermal or other mechanical treatments were used. Even holes in the beads were drilled by hand. Therefore, each bead is not ideal but perfect at the same time.
This necklace alternates beads of jade with 2 mm gold plate beads.
The necklace fastens with a vintage gold plate clasp with a natural jade cabochon.
The vintage necklace is from about 60-70 years of the last century.
The length of the necklace is 32 inches (81 cm). The size of the bowenite beads is about 12 mm.
The weight of the necklace is 142.5 grams ( 5 oz).
This is the perfect gift for yourself or someone special.