Understanding Dzi Beads

• One Eye Motif: believed to give wisdom and clear mental vision.
• Two Eye Motif: believed to bring harmony between husband and wife and co-workers.
• Three Eye Motif: believed to bring happiness, success, and longevity.
• Three Eye Lotus Motif: believed to bring happiness and success through enlightenment and wisdom.
• Four Eye Motif: believed to remove obstacles and hindrances for success.
• Five Eye Motif: believed to bring endless good fortune, longevity, and happiness.
• Six Eye Motif: believed to improve physiological functions, release from suffering, and avert misfortunes.
• Six Eye Lotus Motif: believed to release from suffering and avert misfortunes through critical thinking and decision-making.
• Six Eye Tiger Tooth Motif: believed to bring strength, courage, and avert misfortunes.
• Seven Eye Motif: believed to bring perfection to all aspects of life.
• Seven Eye (Dragon Eye) Motif: believed to give protection from evil and misfortunes.
• Eight Eye Motif: believed to help in all endeavors.
• Nine Eye Motif: believed to be the most powerful of all dzi beads.
• Ten Eye Motif: believed to remove karmic hindrances and increase virtues.
• Twelve Eye Motif: believed to represent authority, power, and influence.
• Fourteen Eye Motif: believed to help achieve breakthroughs in professional activities and aid in meditation and spiritual practices.
• Fifteen Eye Motif: believed to represent the Seven Treasures and Eight Dharmas, aiding in achieving all wishes.
• Twenty-one Eye Motif: believed to be as powerful as the Nine Eye Motif, aiding in materializing wishes related to reputation, power, and influence.

Cinnabar Dots, also known as "Bloodspots" or "硃砂" in Chinese, are a popular topic among Dzi bead collectors. However, many people have misconceptions about them. In this article, we'll discuss the facts about cinnabar dots and how to differentiate them from other types of speckles and dots.

Cinnabar dots occur when mercury and sulfur are present during the formation of agate. Mercuric sulfide, also known as cinnabar, is produced when mercury reacts with sulfur. In its purest form, cinnabar is a deep red color and is used to make vermilion pigment. However, it's rare to find it in its purest form in agate, as other materials are usually present, resulting in slight variations in its redness.

Brown spots that resemble rust are usually iron oxides or hydroxides, which are basically oxidized iron. Agate is often manipulated by the addition of iron oxides or hydroxides to create the appearance of bloodspots. Why do most producers of counterfeits not use mercuric sulfide? There are two reasons for this: one, mercuric sulfide is highly toxic, and two, it's more difficult to manipulate into artificially-made agate. Iron dust is a much easier alternative.

Many Dzi dealers try to pass off anything with speckles and dots as cinnabar dots because they fetch much higher prices. However, it's important to note that not all speckles and dots are cinnabar dots. It can be challenging for collectors to differentiate between cinnabar dots and other types of speckles, but it's crucial to do so to avoid buying counterfeits or overpriced beads. Remember, what you want to collect is Dzi with genuine cinnabar dots, not rust speckles!

Understanding the difference between cinnabar dots and other speckles is crucial for Dzi bead collectors. By knowing the facts, you can make informed decisions when acquiring new pieces for your collection. Here are some pictures of genuine cinnabar dots or "bloodspots" for reference.

Dzi beads are a fascinating subject, and collectors often classify them into many different groups with varying names due to the dzi bead culture crossing into various countries and languages. However, most collectors mainly focus on "Type I" and "Type II" beads.

So what is Type I and Type II? Some people use the terms loosely to sound knowledgeable, and this has resulted in incorrect information floating around about what they are. Type I and Type II do not refer to the kind of patterns on the beads, but rather to the techniques used to etch the patterns onto the beads.

Ancient Type I beads are much older than ancient Type II beads. The peoples of India and Mesopotamia first crafted dzi beads around 2000 B.C. These early dzi beads were usually made of some variety of the silica mineral chalcedony, such as carnelian or agate. A two-step process was used to enhance the colors of the stones and create the white line etchings. First, plant sugars and low heat were used to darken the natural colors of the beads. Then, natron (a naturally occurring mix of sodium carbonate decahydrate, nahcolite, sodium chloride, and sodium sulfate) was applied to the bead surface to create the white line etchings. When done correctly, the etchings penetrated the bead to a depth of about 1 mm to 2 mm.

When dzi culture was passed to Tibet, the technique for coloring and etching beads was modified, and production of a new kind of dzi bead was made possible. These new styled dzi beads are now referred to as Type II beads.

It is speculated that the modification of crafting techniques was not intentional at first, but rather an accidental occurrence. And like any art form, when new creations are made possible, artisans will explore the techniques until certain satisfactory results are reached. Chalcedony, being a porous mineral, easily cracks under the application of high amounts of heat. However, the thin air of the higher reaches of the Himalayas is in some degree similar to a modern vacuum chamber where chalcedony can be heated without causing cracks. This allowed for the use of potash (salts and potassium in water-soluble form) and white lead (hydrocerussite) along with the application of higher levels of heat to "bleach" the stones first, which is characteristic of Type II beads. Then, the areas that should remain light/white get stenciled on and then masked, while the rest of the bead gets treated for the darkening effects. The result is that the lighter etching appears to go all the way through the beads. It also allowed for the creation of a smoother bead surface.

This information should help clarify some of the confusion surrounding Type I and Type II beads for those interested in dzi bead culture. It is important to keep in mind dzi jargon is often used more than necessary to give dzi mystique, which helps promote sales.