dZi Beads

Dzi bead (pronounced “zee”; alternative spelling: gzi) is a bead stone of mysterious origin worn as part of a necklace Necklace and sometimes as a bracelet. In several Asian cultures, including that of Tibet, the bead is considered to provide positive spiritual benefit. These beads are generally prized as protective amulets and are sometimes ground up into a powder to be used in traditional Tibetan medicine. Beads subject to this process have small “dig marks” where a portion of the bead has been scraped or shaved away to be ground into the medicine.
dZi beads are shipped with insurance only at buyer expense.
dZi beads are not exchangable or returnable.

Beads that are broken are believed to have a diluted benefit, because they have taken the brunt of the force that it is assumed would have otherwise impacted the wearer.  “Wikipedia”

The most highly prized dzi beads are made of natural agate and were apparently manufactured in ancient times by an unknown people. There are also new dzi which gain popularity amongst Tibetans.

On a personal note:

The world has gotten very good at duplicating ancient beads and other artifacts as well.  We use to be offended when people would compare our authentic ancient Dzi-Beads to that which is manufactured today; in fact they have gotten very good at it.

We come to realize that it us that should not be offended, rather, the people who thousands and thousands of years ago hand made them with great honor and pride to their ancestry.

It is our privilege and honor to have such ancient Dzi-Beads as protectors of something so scarce and valuable as you well know.  We keep them in a very safe and well protected environment.

We welcome the opportunity of sharing the privilege with others to have and honor these precious Dzi-Beads as we do.  The opportunity for them to be closer to their origin, where they belong excites us.

With such precious and valuable ancient beads, we realize that they are a lot more money than the manufactured beads, as they should be.  We tell people that they have to know what story they are in about wanting our Dzi-Beads compared to manufacture ones.

If you are in a story of owning a piece of ancient history where tribal people went to great lengths, time, and effort to hand make these Dzi-Beads as part of their culture and ancestry and, the great symbolic meaning it was for them that others were willing to kill them for those beads, that is good for you and us.

Or, just a story to own a manufactured piece that represents this history but, lacks the authenticity and significance it had for those people many thousands of years ago, then that’s ok too.  We just don’t understand why someone would want that when they have the opportunity for a real piece of history.

We just need to know what story you are in and, perhaps we work on a way to share the privilege of owning such great history, and have the privilege and honor of owning, but, we cannot possibly reduce them that would offend the people of thousands of years ago to the prices of the manufactured prices you can find in China, Nepal, and Taiwan.  Obviously, everyone knows the value of what we have that they are willing to go to a great amount of work to duplicate, tells a story.