Lilac Jadeite Necklace | Jewelry in Door County | Wendy Carpenter Interfibers

My Jadeite necklaces are hand made  through my fair trade mission project in Guatemala (Creating Revenue through the Arts!)

Each bead is hand-cut and hand-polished in various shapes. Jadeite is a high-quality Jade in numerous colors. This high-quality lilac jadeite necklace has 10 lilac faceted beads linked together with an Itlaian leather cord and a Sterling Silver clasp.  It measures 20" long (10" size necklace.)

Jadeite of Guatemala:

Guatemala is the home of Mayan jadeite and is found in the remote Motagua Valley quarries. To the Pre-Columbian people of Mesoamerica, jade represented breath, life, fertility, city, and power.

Jade is the term given to two similar gem materials, called jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite is harder than nephrite; it is found in a wider range of colors, from white through various greens to lilac, blue, black, and takes a high polish.  Jadeite is a silicate of sodium and aluminum.

When the Spanish conquered the region in the 16th century, the source of jadeite was lost. The jadeite quarries were abandoned and quickly covered by the encroaching jungle. It was not until 1950 that evidence of Mayan workings was found in the jungle of the Sierra De Las Minas in eastern Guatemala.