Bowenite Bead #1

Bead Specifications:
Length: 0.48inch
Width/Diameter: 0.4 inch
Inner Hole Diameter: 2 mm
Weight: 2.1g

Origins of the Name “Bowenite”

The 19th-century Governor of New Zealand, George Bowen, is credited with naming the stone “Bowenite” after the areas where it was first discovered and identified. Other occurrences include Australia. It is not only treasured in these countries but also is very important in Maori traditions in New Zealand, where it is used for carving tools, weapons, and ornaments, thus putting great historical and cultural value beyond just its geological characteristics.

Bowenite is a complex, unusual, finely-grained material of excellent luster. It also has high popular value in being a gemstone and for carving. The serpentine mineral group is unique in its own right, although sharing with other minerals the general characteristics that define a gemstone, including the following:

Chemical Composition

• Formula: The chemical formula of Bowenite is essentially that of antigorite, Mg₃Si₂O₅.
• Chemical composition: It primarily comprises magnesium, silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen. The structure allows plenty of room for slight variabilities where iron and several trace elements can replace magnesia thus, provide the color and density variety.

Physical Properties

• Hardness: Bowenite does not consist of a tough mineral, measuring a Mohs hardness of about 4 to 6. It is softer than many gemstones, including quartz and diamond, but is still challenging enough for use in various applications relating to artistic and jewelry works.
• Density: It always has a specific density within the range of 2.5 to 2.6 g/cm³, which comparatively is low regarding other more crystalline minerals.
• Lustre: Waxing to greasy luster, in polished section looking quite attractive.
• Transparency: Bowenite is either opaque or transparent, and the more transparent forms are widely used in various decorations.
• Colour: varies from pale green to blue-green, occasionally yellowish or bluish, often mottled or veined by impurities.

Structural Properties

• Crystal System: In the monoclinic crystal system, serpentine minerals do exist, but they are more common in massive form rather than well-formed crystal form.
• Cleavage: There is basal cleavage in one direction, so it can split along flat planes and will be relatively easy to carve.
• Fracture: Bowenite usually fractures in conchoidal or splintery shapes, two typical ways for most minerals with some degree of brittleness.
• Optical Properties: The relatively low index of refraction in Bowenite imparts a waxy luster and relatively weak shine when polished.

These properties make Bowenite a versatile material which is amenable to a wide range of decorative and practical applications. For example, jewelry, small sculptures, and various ornamental items are made from it. Its aesthetic quality is significantly promoted by its physical characteristics, in particular its luster and variety of color, and that is why it has found such wide application among handicraftsmen and collectors.

Bowenite deposits are found in several parts of the world, including New Zealand, China, Afghanistan, and the United States. In Australia, Bowenite is less commonly reported compared to other serpentine minerals, but it can still be found in specific localities known for their geological diversity and richness in minerals.

• South Australia: Known locations include areas where serpentine rocks are prevalent, providing the right conditions for Bowenite formation.
• Western Australia: Some regions with complex geological histories involving ultramafic rocks might also host Bowenite, although such occurrences are relatively rare and less well-documented.

Comparison with Other Serpentine Minerals

Bowenite is part of the serpentine group, which also includes minerals like antigorite, lizardite, and chrysotile. Each of these minerals shares a basic chemical composition and similar formation processes but differs in crystal structure and physical properties:

• Antigorite: Often found in more fibrous forms and is the predominant form of serpentine in many serpentinite rocks. It tends to form at slightly higher temperatures than Bowenite and has a hardness similar to Bowenite.
• Lizardite: The most common type of serpentine, characterized by its microcrystalline, leafy aggregates that form at lower temperatures. It is generally softer and less suitable for carving than Bowenite.
• Chrysotile: Known as asbestos, this fibrous variety is the most flexible of serpentine minerals and forms under similar conditions as other serpentines. It has significant industrial uses but also poses health risks.

Bowenite is distinguished from these minerals by its greater suitability for ornamental carving due to its hardness and the fine quality of its finish when polished. It also typically exhibits a range of green colors that are particularly valued in decorative stones. These characteristics, along with its geological rarity, make Bowenite a unique and valued member of the serpentine mineral group.

Proud to say one of my specialties at Jadedivers.com is making one of kind custom beads found almost no where in the world. Most of my beads are going to have cone tapered ends that are deburred and polished. My photos are taken to show the natural colors without photo enhancements. I believe this will best represent the colors and promote repeat customers.

** Note: Many items stated to be "Jade" on Etsy and Ebay are not. In many cases, price does not indicate this either so buying an expensive item may be a jade replica like glass. There are many other stones including agate, grossular garnet, serpentine (many forms), aventurine... being sold as jade. To make it worse and more complicated, many jadeite stones are being reconditioned and died to be very attractive so they pass general tests to be real. If you see  very clear bangles, odds are they are agate, glass or something else. If you see very bright colors of red, yellow, purple... most likely not real. I say this as many buyers are being fooled on-line by these practices.