Rare Red Tiny Chinese Chevron Beads 34 Inch

A 34-inch strand of Chinese Chevron trade beads.

Chevron beads are highly regarded as the most beautiful and collectible among Venetian "Trade Beads." Produced through a multi-step process involving layering different colored glasses in a 12-point star mold, Chevron beads are also known as "Rosetta" and "Star" beads. The earliest versions from the late 1400s had seven layers, evolving to include 8, 9, and 10 layers in the 1500s, and later 3 and 5 layers in the 1600s-1700s. The peak production in the late 1800s and early 1900s featured 4 and 6-layer beads.

The Chinese have made beautiful copies.

This strand is not intended to be a ready-to-wear necklace. Although the strand can be worn "as is," the string holding it together is not durable and may break with use. For this reason, we recommend that you restring the beads before wearing them.