Enter The Brazilian Oco Agate

One of my most popular and requested wired pendant is the Oco Agate Slice.  These are also one of my many favorite pendants (yes I have many, but this one is in the top) to work.  Their unique colors is a mesmerizing explosion of deep dark rich earthy brown, black, navy, olive, and rust or the slightly more delicate shades of pink, purple, cream, white, and gray.  What sets them apart from any other agate is the crystalline centers, some even have very tiny crystal cylinders within the crystalline.

Agate geode halves which are found in the Ocos region of Brazil are small agate nodules with a crystalline interior. Agate is named after a river in Sicily called Achates, where it was found in the Fourth Century, B.C. In the center of the rock, where there is a cavity, crystals often form, thus the name geode.

The formation in which the geodes are found is 50 million years old and located in the country of Brazil. Farmers have gathered the oco’s for many years. After the crops have been harvested and the farmers are unable to work, the fields are tilled under allowing the oco’s to appear. They are then gathered and sold for cutting into the geode half.

These newest designs feature some dazzling color mixtures…from black to grey to pink to purple and everything in-between.

For these and many other unique artisan crafted jewelry, browse our collections at our Timeless Designs Ruby Lane shop!

Agate tones and strengthens body and mind, as well as imparting a sense of strength and courage. It enhances creativity and stimulates the intellect. Agate is calming and soothing, and can dispel feelings of jealousy.

An Odd Mix of Old Stones

This necklace is a mix of some odd stones that I would have never thought to put together. At the base is an irregularly shaped Brazilian Oco Agate slice; coloring is beautiful with raw edges and swirling white around. It has been handcrafted in artistic non-tarnish brass wire. The necklace is strung in some old stones of faceted rectangular Antique Jade; colors ranging from an almost clear, olive, mixed coloring and some that are a hint of off mustard color. Between I’ve putt another old stone, smoothly polished elongated barrels of Turquoise; which has been heat treated and stabilized turning it a nice color of brown with deep dark veining. It is a nice dark contrast to the lightness of the antique jade.

Heat Treatment of Stones
Centuries ago, someone stumbled upon the magical effect of applying heat to gemstones. High heat, such as that from a charcoal fire, can make a bland looking gemstone change its color into something spectacular. If this fortunate technique were not discovered, there would be very few affordable gemstones of good color in the market.

This method of treating stone produces dramatic natural changes by the use of heat only, the dramatic changes being, deeper more brilliant colors, smoother texture, richer luster, and easier workability. This method first includes; Providing stone material, then with or without a sand bath, placing the stone material in a heat treating environment, increasing the temperature in specific increments until the effective heat treating temperature is reached, keeping the stone at that temperature until all the desired changes have occurred, the temperature is then decreased in specific increments until the material is at room temperature. Once the stone is treated and cooled, it is ready to be shaped, and or polished.

Treatments of Turquoise
Treated turquoise, frequently used in modern jewelry, has been altered from its original state by a process intended to improve the color and/or durability of the natural stone. There are a number of different ways that turquoise may be treated.

Treated turquoise has existed for centuries. The earliest kinds involved a fine application of oil or wax to the stone, making it shine and deepening the color. This type of treated turquoise tends to "sweat" when exposed to heat or sunlight and can become cloudy over the years; however, the treatment can sometimes be successfully reapplied.

Most American turquoise today is stabilized or bonded with a treatment of plastic, epoxy, or water glass. This type of treated turquoise retains its look and luster better than oil or wax treated turquoise, and the stabilization process can be used on turquoise that is too unstable to benefit from the oil or wax method. Epoxy stabilization was developed in the 1950s by Colbaugh Processing of Arizona.

Native American jewelers in the Southwestern United States strengthen thin pieces of high-grade turquoise through a process termed backing. The turquoise is glued to a stronger material to prevent its cracking. Early turquoise backings were made of car battery casings and records, while modern jewelers usually use epoxy steel resin.

Some turquoise is dyed to improve its color or make it more uniform. Prussian blue is the most common dye used in this treatment. Some people do not like dyed turquoise, as they feel it is artificial, and it sometimes leaves color on the skin or fades.

Strands of Stone Chips

Natural stones in chip form are sometimes hard to work with; often I use them as spacers or in earrings. In these two designs, I used them as the accent to the focal pendants. The pendants in both are beautiful Brazilian Ocos Agates; deep shades of green, black and white in one and the other is pure innocent of white. Each has been encased in handcrafted non-tarnish wire.





To the left is a 2strand in Fancy Jasper with the focal pendant of snowy white Ocos Agate.










To the right is a 2 strand in Snakeskin Japer, Sandy Opals and Swarovski Crystals, with a focal pendant of deep green/black Ocos Agate.



Both are available at our website along with many other unique natural stone designs.

Brazilian Ocos Geode Agate

Agate geode halves which are found in the Ocos region of Brazil, are small agate nodules with a crystalline interior. Agate is named after a river in Sicily called Achates, where it was found in the Fourth Century, B.C. In the center of the rock, where there is a cavity, crystals often form, thus the name geode.

The formation in which the geodes are found is 50 million years old and located in the country of Brazil. Farmers have gathered the oco’s for many years. After the crops have been harvested and the farmers are unable to work, the fields are tilled under allowing the oco’s to appear. They are then gathered and sold for cutting into the geode half.

Agate tones and strengthens body and mind, as well as imparting a sense of strength and courage. It enhances creativity and stimulates the intellect. Agate is calming and soothing, and can dispel feelings of jealousy.

Browse and shop our website for these and many other unusal gemstone jewelry pieces.

*Ocos Agates from Panther Creek Minerals, San Antonio, Texas.