African Turquoise Gemstone Beads, 8mm Round with Large Hole (strand)

African turquoise is a descriptive name and is not true turquoise, but actually a jasper found in Africa. These semiprecious beads have a matrix structure similar to that of turquoise, and are light bluish-green in color. Jasper is a harder stone than turquoise, so these beads are more durable than true turquoise.
The matrix in African turquoise is usually dark or black, and African turquoise beads do provide a good substitute for genuine turquoise beads. As with many semiprecious gemstones, identifying a stone accurately can be tricky!
African turquoise looks very similar to variquoise, a unique combination of variscite and turquoise found in Utah and Nevada

Please see the Related Products links below for similar items, and more information about this stone.