Vintage Tibetan natural turquoise bead with repousse sterling silver caps. 53x32x15mm. b4-tur462

Vintage natural Tibetan turquoise bead with repousse sterling silver caps. 53x28x14mm. 25.5 grams. Older Tibetan turquoise bead with more recent silver caps. The hole size on the silver cap is 1.6mm These beads have been drilled from each end to the center so its hard to estimate the hole size of the turquoise bead. It took a 1mm wire with no problem. This bead was acquired from the estate of a collector who purchased it in Nepal in the 1970s.

The Tibetans sometimes applied gold or silver caps to the ends of valuable ancient stone beads such as etched carnelians, dZi and banded agates to conceal damage or reinforce fragile beads. This style has been copied in some vintage and contemporary silver-capped beads from Nepal.