Ancient Tibetan Dzi

Ancient dzi beads — those over 500 years old — occupy a category apart from everything else in the dzi market. These are not collectibles in the ordinary sense. They are objects that survived the Tibetan Imperial period, passed through generations of careful hands, and arrived here intact. Some pieces in this collection are estimated at over 1,000 years old.

Finding genuine ancient dzi requires a source you can trust completely. Ours is a single one: Kittery's father, a highly respected antique dealer who has spent decades specializing in dzi beads, Yixing clay teaware, and jadeite. We made a deliberate choice to rely on one person with deep expertise rather than a wide network we cannot verify. In a market where misrepresentation is routine, that decision matters.

Every bead in this collection is natural agate with traditional etching that penetrates deep into the stone — not surface painting, not laser marking. Age shows as it should: in the waxy patina built from centuries of skin contact, the irregular weathering patterns under magnification, the soft rounded edges of hand-drilled holes worn smooth by decades on a cord.

We never retouch our photographs. What you see is exactly what you receive. Browse carefully, ask questions freely, and buy with confidence.