Chrysoprase 4-4.5mm Round Beads

Chrysoprase is a variety of quartz. Its name comes from the Greek "chryso" for gold and "prason" for leek as it resembles the colour of vegetables. The colour varies from yellowish green to apple green and grass green depending on the content of hydrated silicates or nickel oxides. It can range from nearly transparent to opaque - the transparent being used mainly for cabochons and the opaque for beads. The ancient Greeks and Romans valued chrysoprase as a decorative stone and for jewellery beads.