Carnelian Dzi

Carnelian dzi beads — known in Tibetan as Pema Raka — are among the rarest objects in any serious dzi collection. Where standard dzi beads are made from banded black and white agate, carnelian dzi are cut from warm orange-red natural carnelian, a form of chalcedony that was historically scarcer in the Himalayan region and more technically demanding to etch. The result is a bead that looks unlike anything else in the dzi tradition: white etched patterns blazing against a ground of deep, glowing orange-red.

Every carnelian dzi in this collection is ancient (500+ years) or antique (100–500 years). Motifs include Tiger Stripe, Links, Eye, Diamond Eye-In-Eye, Criss Cross, Lotus, Waves, Rail Tracks, and Deer. Shapes include rare octagon, hexagon, round, and disc forms — each reflecting the individual hand of the craftsman who made it.

We never retouch our photographs. Every bead is shown exactly as it is — natural surface, true color, honest condition. No replicas, no imitations, no embellishment.