Below you will find a selection of antique and rare quality turquoise beads. All of our turquoise is sourced in the Himalayan regions. In traditional Tibetan medicine, turquoise or Yuis valued for its many healing properties. It is believed to absorb toxins from the body and aid healthy liver function. It can also be used to treat fevers, eye disease and is an antidote to poison. Turquoise is also worn as an amulet to give protection whilst dreaming. Many turquoise beads have turned a deep green colour due to being worn on the body and absorbing oils from the skin. Normally the more blue the colour of the bead the more prized it is as an amulet.
Today the majority of so called 'Tibetan' turquoise is mined in China. However, Tibetans had several sources for turquoise in antiquity, including: Tibet, Iran and China. It is believed that Tibetan turquoise was sourced from Kongpo in the South East and Dargyal in the North East of Tibet. Apparently the best source was located in the Gangchen mountains of Nari (also spelled Ngari) in Western Tibet. It is also reported that Tibetan rulers of this region paid a regular tribute of turquoise to the kings of Ladakh (Laufer 1913, Clarke 2004).
The majority of the antique turquoise beads on our website are around 100 to 300 years old, however, some are certainly much older. Each bead is sold on its individual merits. The more recent turquoise beads we offer are selected for their distinct quality.
