Tibetan dZi and other Himalayan Beads

 Above: Plastic imitation dZi beads.

Plastic imitation dZi beads can be found in different qualities and they can display both common and more unusual motifs to replicate designs found on ancient 'stone' beads. The bead in the foreground is a very convincing looking stone bead until you scrutinize it more closely. Jamey D. Allen shows similar beads in his wonderful Arts of Asia article and tells us that they have been in production for more than 30 years. They can be found in Tibet and throughout the Himlayan regions and India. It is therefore possible that there are a number of different sources for these beads.

Jamey D. Allen explains that they are made "from a three-step process". The first step is made by "moulding a white base with a raised design". The base is then covered with a darker outer layer and then lastly the surface needs "grinding" to make the bead smooth. Most of these plastic beads include a metal core which gives the bead extra weight and the illusion that they are crafted from heavier stone. Under magnification it is often possible to see tiny air bubbles and this indicates that they are not crafted from agate or any other type of stone material. If you gently tap them on your teeth they will feel dull like plastic and not hard like stone.