Price is per 16-inch strand of these unusual beads - each measures 8mm x 5mm. Fantastic AB effect colour as they turn!
The benefits of hematite
Hematite makes great jewelry because it's inexpensive and look shiny and sleek. People wear it as rings, bracelets and necklaces not only for style, but because they believe the magnetic variety relieves rheumatism. Magnetic therapy has been around for over 4,000 years.
The idea is that a magnetic field can relax capillary walls in the body. This causes an increase in blood flow, similar to the effect of massaging your muscles, and stimulate the areas around the muscles to speed up healing. Others say, magnetic jewelry allows the body to produce endorphins, the natural pain killers.
Hematite is one of the most common minerals, being the principle ore of iron. The color of most red rock, like sandstone, is caused by small amounts of hematite. Although usually black in jewelry, it may also be responsible for the red color of garnet and ruby. All non-crystalline forms of hematite are transformations of the mineral Limonite that lost water, possibly due to heat. Hence the recent excitement of the discovery of grey hematite on the planet Mars, suggesting there was once water present. Only well formed hematite crystals are cut and polished into cabochons for jewelry, beads, and ornaments.