Terrain Collection · No. 01
Painted Desert Bracelet
Petrified Wood and Black Tourmaline
Handmade, one at a time. Natural stone varies, so the color and pattern of yours will differ a little from the photos.
One size, fits a 6 inch wrist. Different wrist? , strung at no extra cost.
Guaranteed for a year. If the cord breaks or the knot lets go, we restring it at our cost. 90-day returns, no restocking fee.
Fifteen beads of Arizona petrified wood, each one a piece of a Triassic forest turned to stone, broken up by black tourmaline and four antiqued pewter accents. Made by hand in our Maryland studio.
Front · never changes
Size and fit
One size, or strung to yours
The standard Painted Desert fits a 6 inch wrist, and the cord stretches to cover a little either side.
Different wrist? Tell us your measurement and we string yours to fit at no extra cost, adding or removing stones only at the back, in the petrified wood. The front stays exactly as pictured.
To measure: wrap a soft tape measure, or a strip of paper, around your wrist where you would wear the bracelet. Snug, not tight.
The materials
Two stones, each one named
Twenty-one stones and four metal accents. Nothing dyed, synthetic or reconstituted.
Petrified Wood
15 beads · front and back
Wood from a Triassic forest, about 225 million years old, replaced cell by cell with quartz.
- Origin
- Arizona, United States
- Treatment
- None. Natural color.
- Hardness
- 6.5 to 7 Mohs
Black Tourmaline
6 beads · sides
Schorl, the iron-rich black variety of tourmaline.
- Origin
- Brazil
- Treatment
- None. Natural color.
- Hardness
- 7 to 7.5 Mohs
- Metal
- Four antiqued pewter rondelles. Lead-free pewter, cast in the USA.
- Cord
- Clear stretch cord, stretched before stringing, then knotted and sealed by hand.
- Beads
- 8mm round.
- Arrives
- In a cotton-lined jewelry box, with a printed card naming every stone and its origin.
Our sourcing
Why it took us ten years to make a bracelet
Beads are the hardest thing in our trade to source well. Rough stone leaves the mine, gets cut and drilled in a factory far away, and comes back as a strand with its history left behind. Dye, heat and resin are common, and they are rarely disclosed.
So for ten years we did not sell beaded jewelry. We could not find beads we were willing to put our name on.
What changed is the suppliers. It took a long time to find ones who tell us where a stone was mined and what has been done to it, and who say so when they do not know.
- Every stone is named. With its origin and any treatment.
- Nothing dyed, synthetic or reconstituted. No dye, no lab-grown stone, no powder pressed back into a bead. If a stone was heated or irradiated, we say so.
- Some beads we leave out on purpose. Including a few that would be bestsellers. If we cannot trace a stone's origin, or cannot rule out a treatment that crosses our lines, we do not string it.
- We tell you where our knowledge stops. Unlike most of our store, these stones do not reach us straight from a mine or a cooperative. The bead trade does not work that way.
The geology
A forest, turned to stone
About 225 million years ago, logs in what is now Arizona were buried under river sediment and volcanic ash. Groundwater carried silica into the wood and replaced it, cell by cell, with quartz. The reds, yellows and purples come from iron and manganese.
That is why no two beads match, and why no two of these bracelets do either. Black tourmaline sits between the runs of wood to give all that color somewhere to rest.
The making
Made by hand, one at a time
- CheckedEvery bead is looked over by hand. Chips, cracks and off-center holes are set aside.
- StrungLaid out in order, then strung on cord that has been stretched first so it will not go slack.
- KnottedTied by hand, sealed with jeweler's cement and left to cure overnight.
- TestedStretched open and checked before it is packed. If it gaps or slips, it is restrung.
Our guarantee
Made to last. Guaranteed for a year.
This bracelet is made for daily wear. Elastic is the one part that can wear over time, and a little care keeps that to a minimum.
If the cord breaks or the knot lets go in the first year, send us the stones and accents. We restring it and send it back at our cost.
Not covered: lost stones (we replace them at cost when we have the stone), chips or cracks from impact, and damage from water or chemicals.
Care
Six habits for a bracelet that lasts
Looked after, this bracelet is made to be worn for years.
- Roll it on. Roll it over your hand instead of stretching it wide.
- Keep it dry. Take it off to shower, swim or wash up.
- Last on, first off. Lotion, perfume and sunscreen wear down elastic.
- Store it flat, out of direct sun and away from heat.
- Wipe with a soft dry cloth. No ultrasonic or steam cleaners.
- Mind hard knocks. Stone can chip against stone or tile.
Pairs with
Made to be worn together
Questions
Will mine look exactly like the photos?
Close, not identical. Petrified wood has the widest color range of any stone we string, from cream to red to near black, so every bracelet is different. The pattern, the count and the quality of the stones are the same.
Can I wear it every day?
Yes. It is made for daily wear. Take it off for water, workouts and rough work.
Is anything dyed or lab-made?
No. We do not use dyed, synthetic or reconstituted stone. If a stone was heated or irradiated, we say so next to that stone.
What if it does not fit?
The standard size fits a 6 inch wrist. Tell us your wrist measurement and we will string or restring it to fit, adding or removing stones only at the back.
