SENATOR PELOSI CHANGES FROM SOUTH SEA PEARLS TO COLUMBIAN BEADS



Bronze bracelet with nearly clear and colored copal nuggets



Senator Nancy Pelosi (D-California) wore a stunning necklace of eyeball-sized beads at today’s presidential inauguration events. 

The Democratic House Minority Leader’s necklace was designed with round, nearly clear beads in tones of white, tan and brown, about 12-15 mm in size.   

The necklace featured a gold filigree ball clasp just as large as the beads.  She wore curvy heart earrings to complement her necklace and was attired in a red coral coatdress.

At first I couldn't identify the beads. Mrs. Pelosi’s beads didn’t seem to be Murano glass, crystal quartz, colored quartz or even plastic. Her beads seemed softer, more organic with slight markings.

I did a little research and discovered that her beads may be Columbian Copal.

 

COLUMBIAN COPAL

Copal tree resin is an organic gemstone, often dishonestly substituted for true amber. It’s a “semifossilized form of amber” according to Theresa Geary in her book The Illustrated Bead Bible. 

While both are the same resinous material, copal is not nearly as old as true amber which can be millions of years old.  In some cases, Copal may have been produced by a tree as little as 100 years ago.

Copal has a soft look, with natural colors and often completely clear. Some versions are very similar to butterscotch colored true amber. Copal  is very desirable on its own merits and not just as a substitute for more valuable, authentic amber.