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JEWEL BEETLE SNAKE HEAD BEAD CARVED PURPLE CLAM SHELL & BLUE SAPPHIRE GEMSTONE EYES
Item #	:	215 0366
Type	:	Handmade bead with genuine natural Jewel Beetle belly, Purple Clam shell, Blue Sapphire gemstone eyes set in 18K Gold Vermeil over solid 925 Sterling Silver.
Amount	:	1 (one) piece * All photos are taken from the actual item *
Design	:	Magnificent JEWEL BEETLE SNAKE HEAD BEAD with hand-carved Purple Clam shell, inlayed Blue Sapphire gemstone eyes with an 18K Gold Vermeil over solid 925 Sterling Silver bezel setting from our “Fauna & Flore Collection” Each piece is handmade one by one by master-craftsmen and therefore the shape, size, weight and design may vary slightly. This makes each piece a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
Fauna & Flora Celebration Collection	:	Our celebration collection features vibrant leaves and flowers, as well as captivating creatures, all inspired by nature. Our passion for flora and fauna motivates us to craft these timeless creations. Our collection is dominated by perennial favourites like flowers, leaves, and other natural creations. Our collection has a natural appearance because of the methodical arrangement of colorful gems, carefully selected mother-of-pearl, and stones, which produce a balanced and elegant effect. One of the most delicate and breathtakingly beautiful creatures in the world flutters into our collection. Some of our most magical jewelry is inspired by the butterfly, which is whimsically colorful and so light and graceful on the wing. Pearls, Tsavorites, Rubies, Sapphires, Diamonds and other precious gemstones are prominently used in our creations.
Material	:	Genuine untreated metallic iridescent Jewel Beetle belly, Purple Clam shell, Blue Sapphire gemstones and 18K Gold plated solid 925 Sterling Silver
Gemstones	:	Two genuine natural Blue Sapphire gemstones ~ round 1.8 mm diameter, brilliant cut in excellent quality with just minor natural inclusions (si) ~ from Mozambique / Africa
Color	:	Bright metallic green & red, purple, blue and gold
Gold plating	:	18K Gold Vermeil 3-micron gold-plated over solid 925 Sterling Silver ~ strong and durable
Shape	:	Snake head carving
Weight	:	approx. 8.39 grams
Dimensions	:	Length: approx. 26.57 mm = 1.04 inches Width: approx. 17.35 mm (measured at the widest point) Thickness of shells: approx. 13.17 mm
Perforation	:	This carved shell is fully drilled with an approx. 1.20 mm diameter drill hole. It is not a ready to wear piece of jewelry.
Origin	:	The Jewel Beetle we use originate from Thailand and a cut and back with Mother-of-Pearl in Bali. We buy all Jewel Beetle material from farms in Northern Thailand. This Jewel Beetle pendant is handcrafted in Bali (Indonesia) by our in-house Balinese master craftsmen.
Origin of Sterling Silver work	:	Handmade in Bali by our in-house Balinese silversmiths
Jewel Beetle	:	Jewel Beetle ~ Buprestidae Because of their glossy, iridescent colors, the Jewel Beetle family, Buprestidae, is sometimes known as metallic wood-boring beetles. In Thailand, these beetles are cultivated, and after their brief lives are over, their wings are harvested. We do not hurt the beetles, so don't worry. We offer them to someone who can skillfully craft exquisite jewelry and who appreciates their exquisite, one-of-a-kind metallic iridescence. What are Jewel Beetles? Buprestidae is a family of beetles, commonly referred to as Jewel Beetles due to the iridescent colors from green, blue, coppery and golden shades. Jewel Beetles are herbivores, which means they only eat plant material. Different species eat different parts of various plants and have different methods of finding a safe place to pupate as a result. All Jewel Beetles have 3 distinct stages of life however, with all of them hatching out of their eggs as larvae before pupating and transforming into their brilliantly colorful adult beetle forms! Larvae of this family are named flatheaded borers, and there are over 15 500 known species of Jewel Beetles! What are Jewel Beetles? The family of beetles known as Buprestidae is popularly called Jewel Beetles because of their dazzling colors! Because they are herbivores, Jewel Beetles exclusively consume plant matter. Because different species use different sections of different plants, they have varied strategies for locating a secure location to pupate. But all Jewel Beetles have three separate life stages: they all emerge from their eggs as larvae, pupate, and then become their amazingly beautiful adult beetle forms! There are more than 15,500 recognized species of jewel beetles, and their larvae are known as flat-headed borers! The three species that we use for our cabochons and jewelry are: Chrysochroa fulminans, Sternocera aequisignata and Sternocera ruficornis. These species are nearly similar, growing to lengths of 30–50 mm (1.2-2 inches), and sharing the same environment. The people of rural Thailand use these Jewel Beetles as a food source, and numerous farms raise them to meet the country's demand. We are unable to distinguish between distinct beetles based solely on their elytra! What are elytra? The portions of a beetle's exoskeleton known as elytra, or "wing-cases," are what cover the wings when they are not in use. If you have ever witnessed a "ladybug" in flight, you have undoubtedly witnessed it unfolding its wings and opening its elytra before taking off for its next destination. Elytra must be both powerful enough to safeguard these vital defence systems and lightweight enough to not impede the beetle's ability to fly and maneuver! Knowing that earrings and other such items will withstand some banging and clashing over time simply by virtue of being worn out and about is one of the reasons we love integrating them in our jewelry! We use Mother-of-Pearl backing to support these Jewel Beetle wings, giving them even more durability. How do they have such vibrant colors? Jewel Beetles have such vivid, iridescent color because of a process known as structural coloration! In fact, the exoskeleton's microscopic structure tampers with light absorption and reflection, producing a different visual color than would otherwise be reflected. Iridescence is produced when a beetle seems to be one color (green) from one angle and a different color (blue or purple) from a different direction due to minute structural variations! This is not the same as pure pigmentation, which functions because an object is a given color and only absorbs and reflects light according to that colors wavelength. An example of pure pigmentation would be the pink of a flamingo. Unlike pigmented colors, the wings of these beetles can maintain their color for a very longer duration because of the structure that produces the color. While an object's structure ages and loses color due to pigment degradation, beetle shells are resilient and do not lose color with time! Dresses and other historical clothing from hundreds of years ago have been embroidered with vivid threads of gold and silver, pigmented fabric, and Jewel Beetle elytra. The elytra are still as vivid as they were when the garment was made. Do we hurt the beetles just to get their parts? Not at all! We obtain the beetle elytra and other beetle pieces as a culinary by-product! Beetles are consumed as food in some rural areas of Thailand; bugs are a significant source of concentrated protein in places that cannot support cattle or other livestock. The people in rural Thailand utilize the inedible wings for their needlework and crafts after consuming the beetles as part of their custom. However, there are typically too many shells to utilize them all, so some would still be wasted. That's where folks like us are useful! I We purchase these extra Jewel Beetle wings so we may incorporate them into our jewelry and show you how beautiful these insects are! Our supplier makes sure that all beetles have either been harvested at the end of their natural life or have been eaten as part of the local diet; in the event of complete beetle specimens, they also source. Since beetles are vital to both the local ecology and the Thai people, we take great care to guarantee that their use does not negatively impact the number of beetles in the area. We source all of our Jewel Beetle wings from farms in Northern Thailand.
Purple Clam shell	:	Purple Clam Shell ~ Nuttallia obscurata, the purple mahogany clam, dark mahogany clam, varnish clam or savory clam, is a species of saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Psammobiidae. The valves are thin, relatively shallow, and almost oval in shape. They can reach 6.4 cm (2.5 inches) long. Individuals can achieve a maximum weight of 45 grams. The exterior of the valves is covered in a shiny brown periostracum, hence one of its common names, "varnish clam". The periostracum is often worn away at the umbo. There are concentric rings on the outside of the valves which can be observed where the periostracum has been removed. The interior of the valves is deep purple to almost white in some individuals. The prominent hinge ligament is external to the valves. Nuttallia obscurata has a large white, muscular foot that it uses to dig in the sand and for propulsion. The animal has two long, white, separate siphons. These clams are found in the mid to high intertidal zone, buried in sand, gravel, or silt, from just below the surface to 20 centimetres (7.9 inches) deep. They have greater tolerance for salinity conditions than native clams and are sometimes found in brackish waters near freshwater seeps. The species is native to Japan, Korea, China, and Indonesia. It has been naturalized in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Its range includes the coast of Vancouver Island, the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, and south along the coast to Coos Bay. It is considered an invasive species in North America. The first collection of Nuttallia obscurata in North America occurred in 1991 near Vancouver. It is hypothesized that planktonic larvae were released by a ship disposing of ballast water she had pumped aboard in Asia. A 2006 study of reproductive ecology and dispersal potential suggested that a "lengthy planktonic phase, combined with favourable oceanographic circulation patterns, has contributed to the rapid dispersal and geographic range expansion of the varnish clam in the Northeast Pacific." By 1998, the species had reached Washington beaches. Where they find suitable habitat, these clams can reach densities of as high as 800 individuals per square meter. Nuttallia obscurata can live at least six years. They begin life as free-swimming plankton. This planktonic stage can last from 3 to 8 weeks before they settle to the bottom as recognizable clams. They become reproductively mature at one year old. This species is protandrous, where the young forms are male and then become female later in life. In each population, there are males and females in approximately equal numbers, and 4-5% of the population is hermaphroditic. In some populations, the sex ratio skews towards males for reasons that are not known. Females have been observed to produce between 40,000 and 6,000,000 eggs during the summer breeding season. These oocytes are 55 micrometres (0.0022 inches) in diameter. Fertilization takes place by broadcast spawning. Nuttallia obscurata has two methods of feeding. It is a filter feeder, drawing water in with one siphon and straining out algae and other nutrients. It then ejects water and waste from its other siphon. This species also has the ability to gather material from the surrounding sand with its foot, sweeping detritus to its mouth.
Handmade	:	All our Jewel Beetle & shell beads are handmade. This is not a machine mass produced item. This item is handmade and each piece is made one by one which make each piece a one-of-a-kind piece of art. We know you will enjoy using and wearing these as much as we enjoyed making them.
Remarks	:	Don’t miss the opportunity to own this elegant handmade natural Jewel Beetle & shell focal bead

Our photographs have been enlarged to show details. Most details shown in the large image are actually not visible to the naked eye. We have made the image as close as possible to the original item when viewed on our screen. Depending on the viewers monitor settings, these items may appear a few shades lighter or darker in comparison to the original object.

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