These prayer beads have accompanied someone through many years of devotion. The crucifix that once hung from it is long gone, but the gold and malachite beads remain, worn to a matte finish from decades of handling. Malachite is a relatively fragile stone, much softer than quartz. Victorian jewelers usually polished it to a glossy finish to show off the swirling green patterns. Oils from the hands, along with gentle repeated abrasion, have softened that shine. This necklace has SOUL.
MATERIALS: 14k gold (tests), 6mm malachite beads
AGE: c. 1880
CONDITION: Good - crucifix was missing when we purchased the chain, we've added a gold clasp; a couple beads are chipped and many are matte (originally they were probably polished), presumably this is from use during prayer
SIZE: 31" length