Victorian Sentimental Hair Jewelry - Bead

Dear knowledgeable ones: What the heck is this bead??? I have very limited turquoise/ gemstone knowledge, but the matrix just looks kind of fake to me

This is a mid- late Victorian sentiment bracelet weaved of human hair. The metal beads are GP or GF brass.

The blue bead is definitely a stone composition. I’m fairly confident on the age of the piece. Turquoise was also a popular gemstone in that period. If the bead is not Turquoise; I’m able to find when howlite was discovered, just not when dyed howlite became commonly used in jewelry.

( a lot of excess thought when I can just ask “is the bead fake or real” haha )





Thanks so much!

Welcome to Turquoise People! I would say that bead is contemporary. You don’t seem to start to see dyed howlite in this industry until the 1980s.

Is it possible that your stone is actually glass or ceramic?