Vintage Four Eye Motif Dzi Bead, 53.9×11.6mm, Black Agate (V-070226-4E2)

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All photos below are unretouched, taken against a plain white background to show this bead's true colour and condition.

On this bead, the cream lines connecting each eye don't move in stepped right angles. They curve and loop, tracing soft S-shapes across the black ground rather than a hard geometric grid.

This is a vintage dzi bead crafted in Taiwan in the 1980s using the traditional dzi crafting technique, the same method of etching natural agate used for ancient dzi. The ground is a true black in the flat-lit white-background photos, not a deep brown that only reads dark. Against it, the cream lines sit in high contrast, tracing both the eyes and the curved bands that link them around the bead.

The bead is a classic barrel, drilled through the centre. As it turns, the composition shifts: some faces show the eyes clearly, framed in concentric cream rings, while others show only the connecting curves without an eye in view. It is worth looking at from several angles to see the full pattern. The high gloss and the cream-white tone at the drilled ends show the natural agate.

No cracks are visible anywhere along this bead. Some very light surface wear consistent with its age is present, but nothing that affects its structure or clarity. No bloodspots.

The Four Eye Motif

The Four Eye motif is one of the most recognised patterns in the dzi tradition, associated with clearing obstacles and hindrances and an easier path to success. On this piece the eyes are joined by continuous curved bands rather than straight lines, giving the pattern a fluid, flowing character. Read more in The Four Eye Dzi Bead: Symbolism and Significance.

Specifications

• Motif: Four Eye
• Length: 53.9mm
• Diameter: 11.6mm
• Form: Barrel
• Material: Natural agate
• Age estimate: Vintage, crafted in Taiwan in the 1980s using the traditional technique
• Condition: No cracks visible; light age-consistent surface wear
• Bloodspots: None
• Product ID: V-070226-4E2
• Collections: Taiwan Dzi | New & Vintage Dzi

Its companion piece: the Vintage Four Eye Dzi on a cream ground, the same motif family with stepped connecting lines and dark brown markings.

From the blog

• Taiwan Dzi Beads: The Vintage 1980s Guide
• The Four Eye Dzi Bead: Symbolism and Significance

A piece of 1980s Taiwanese dzi craftsmanship, clean, uncracked, and ready for its next owner.

✅ Authenticity Guaranteed | ✅ 30-Day Returns | ✅ Worldwide Shipping

All photos are of the exact bead you will receive, unretouched, shot against a plain white background.