Metal Beads

The earliest metal beads were made during the Iron Age which began about 1100 BC. In the ancient countries of Sumeria, Assyria and Egypt, gold, silver and copper were used. The Greeks and Romans used gold.

Today hollow beads are made from a sheet of metal. It is stamped with half of the shape, and cut. The halves are shaped and soldered together. Small beads are made from tubing which is cut. The shapes are made by a punching machine with a die.

Decorations on metal include:

Chasing is hammering a pattern into the metal using a chisel type tool.

Repousse is hammering on the back of the metal to make the design raised on the surface.

Filigree uses wires which may be soldered together to form a shape, or soldered onto a base to make a design.

Granulation adds tiny round grains of gold or silver to the surface of the bead.

Enameling applies a color by firing a paste of powdered glass on to the metal
surface. Exposed metal parts of the bead can be silver or gold plated after the enamel is on.

Cloisone uses enamel. A copper wire is soldered on to the bead to form a design. Layers of enamel are put into spaces in the design. The bead is polished. Then the exposed copper is plated with silver or gold.

Gold Beads 

Today most gold beads are small spacers or tubes. A few decorative beads may be found in a necklace.

Pure gold is too soft to be useful. A gold alloy is assigned a number which designates the amount of pure gold contained. The higher the number, the more gold. Most gold used for jewelry is 14K or 10K. Beads made from 14K gold that are hollow are still very soft. A large bead in a strand of gemstone beads can be dented by the weight of the heavier gemstones.

Gold filled beads are made from a layer of copper between 2 layers of at least 10K gold. It is rolled out to the desired thickness. Then the beads are formed. To be designated gold filled, the gold must be at least 1/20th of the total weight of the object.

Gold plated beads will usually contain less gold. Plating is accomplished by immersing an object in an acid bath along with the plating material. An electric current is passed through. The plating metal is attracted to the base metal object. The thickness of the plating is determined by the length of the process and the strength of the current.

Vermeil is gold plating over sterling silver.

Silver Beads 

Silver is used for small spacer beads, tubes, and decorative beads in many sizes.

Pure silver is also too soft to be used. It is usually alloyed with copper. In the United States, sterling silver designates a minimum of 92.5 % silver. Sterling silver beads and findings are softer than silver plated.

Silver plating is done using the same process as gold plating.

An antique patina can be given to silver by immersing it in a solution of potassium polysulphide. Leaving it in longer causes a darker color.

Silver work in southeast Asia uses hammering, embossing, engraving, openwork, inlay, filigree, and granulation.

Sterling silver beads made in India may contain 80% silver. Many decorative styles are made.

The most well known characteristic of silver beads from Bali is granulation. The beads are formed into halves, soldered together, and then decorated with thin wire designs which are filled in with tiny granulation balls. The beads are sometimes given a black oxidation coating to make them look old.

Thai silver beads are handmade in workshops. Using a production line, each person does one process. Each bead takes 20 to 30 minutes. Patterns are applied with household items such as razors. Soaking in black hair dye gives an antique look.

Other metals are also used for beads. Lead free pewter can be finished in either a silver or gold color. Nickel is a bright silver color. Copper looks reddish golden brown. Brass, a copper and zinc alloy, is a very bright gold color. White metal sometimes called German silver, is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel.

Iron is no longer used for beads because it rusts. Most good quality non silver metals used today will not permanently turn black or green like the clasps on some of grandma’s old necklaces. I have used some of these metals in my own casual jewelry. Some of my necklaces are more than 10 years old and have not tarnished. These metals give me additional options in my designs.

Care of Metal Beads 

No beads or metals can be expected to retain their beauty if you abuse them. If your sterling or silver plate tarnishes, clean it with a soft cloth. A jewelry cloth will usually work well. It can be purchased at most jewelry stores. Some may contain chemicals that could damage other delicate beads in your necklace. Ask when you buy it. Never use silver cleaning liquids or paste for silver beads. Occasionally gold vermeil can tarnish because of the sterling silver under the plating. Clean it with a polishing cloth.

Exposure to air causes the tarnish on silver. Storing in an air tight container will slow down the tarnishing. You can use a plastic bag. Squeeze the air out of the bag as you seal it. Most beading wire does not kink. I still try to avoid bending my strands of beads very sharply in a small bag.

To view jewelry using silver and gold beads. click here.

Use the links in the right margin to find other jewelry using sterling silver, Bali, gold and other metal beads.

For information on other kinds of beads, visit our home page
HANDMADE BEADED JEWELRY .ORG
 

Many beads are made from gemstone material. This section of All About Beads includes definitions of related terms, methods used for gemstone identification, and gemstone mining.

For other kinds of beads and jewelry visit  Handmade Beaded Jewelry Home

Definitions

What is a gemstone? Modern definitions vary. Some meanings of gemstones have strict guide lines: must have hardness of at least 7 on the Mohs scale; must be transparent, have luster, and high light refraction; must be mineral; must be rare enough to have a high monetary value; can include limited organic material.

All definitions of gemstones include 3 qualities:
1. Beautiful
2. Durable, hard enough to handle and wear
3. Rare enough to have value

What are gems? A gem has been defined as a mineral enhanced in some manner by altering its shape, usually by cutting and polishing. Sometimes the words gem and gemstone are used interchangeably.

The term precious gem, or precious gemstone, traditionally referred to diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Sometimes pearls were included. Semi-precious gemstone meant all other gemstones. The terms imply monetary value and have been used for marketing.

View semi precious gemstone jewelry. 

What are minerals? The definition of a mineral is a naturally occurring solid with a specific chemical composition and a distinctive internal chrystal structure. It is usually formed by inorganic processes. Most are chemical compounds. A few are single elements.

A crystal is a solid mineral with a geometric shape, straight edges, and smooth faces. Atoms are arranged in a regular, orderly way.

Another meaning of crystal refers to glass that contains lead.

An inclusion is a crystal or fragment of another substance enclosed in a crystal or rock. Inclusions in gemstones are important in determining the identity of a genuine gemstone. Their shapes in transparent colored gemstones can be seen using a microscope.

Matrix is fine grained rock which holds the gemstone crystal. Beads are often made from material that contains both the crystal and its matrix. Both matrix and inclusions can result in interesting combinations of colors and patterns.

Organic gemstones, such as pearls, coral, and amber, have their origin in plants and animals.

Synthetic gemstones, sometimes called lab created, are produced in laboratories and have physical and optical properties that are similar to the natural gemstone.They have the same chemical composition and crystal structure, but not the same inclusions.

Chemical elements which make up the composition of various gemstones

Gemstone Tests

Gemology is the study of gemstones. 

The unique physical properties of gemstones help to identify them.
Color is caused by the absorption or refraction of light.
Luster is the appearance of the surface in reflected light.
Streak is the color of the powder produced when the stone is scraped on a surface or crushed.
Cleavage is the ability to break into smooth flat surfaces.
Fracture describes other shapes of the edges when the mineral breaks.
Tenacity describes the ability to change shape without breaking.
Refractive index measures the velocity of light passing through a transparent or transluscent mineral. Fluorescence is the color of some minerals under ultraviolet light.
Symmetry is the geometric pattern of the crystals that make up the minerals. Symmetry is used to divide minerals into categories called crystal systems.
Habit is the complete description of the external shape of a crystal and includes all its visible characteristics.

Gemologists use many modern tests that give information about the properties, structure, and characteristics of gemstones. Most are important for identification. Two give information useful for choosing beads.

Mohs scale of hardness assigns numbers from 1 to 10, with 10 representing the hardest. The intervals between the values are not equal. The numbers for a gemstone can vary depending on the exact make up of a particular stone. The test uses scratching for the basis of hardness. A harder mineral will scratch a softer one, but not vice versa. Hardness is not an indication of toughness or strength. Hard minerals can be brittle.

Knowing the hardness of your beads can help you care for them.
A gemstone with a rating of:
1-2 can be scratched by a fingernail
3 can be scratched by a copper coin
4-5 can be scratched by a knife
6-8 can scratch glass
9-10 can cut glass
Diamond is the hardest gemstone and is not used for beads.

Specific Gravity measures density by comparing the weight of an object with an equal volume of water. The density of different kinds of gemstones is not the same. Using specific gravity, you can compare the weight of different varieties of gemstones of the same size. A higher number indicates a heavier stone. A strand of 8mm hematite (5.20) beads would be heavier than the same size strand of 8mm jasper (2.61) beads. Amber (1.08) is very light.

To view gemstone jewelry, click here. 

Mining Gemstones

It takes many centuries for gemstones to form deep under the earth’s surface. Through natural changes, they move upward. They can be found in a crystalline form embedded in host rock, in volcanic rock, cooled lava or ash, and as a result of erosion, on top of the ground.

There are two basic mining methods. Hard rock mining requires taking the gemstones from the rock in which they formed. In placer mining, the gemstones are separated from weathered rock debris where they have been released from the original rock.

A few mines use modern computer aided methods. Drilling and blasting are not used for most gemstones because they are shock sensitive. Earth moving bulldozers may be used in some mining operations. Many gemstone veins are in deteriorated rock and are mined by hand with pick and shovel.

Placer mining is used where gemstones have been released from rock by weathering. They may have been carried by water and can be found in river beds, beaches and the ocean floor. Mining methods use water to separate the gemstones from the gravel. The principle is the same as the old panning technique. The lighter materials are washed away. Gemstones are sorted out of the remaining gravel. In many countries this mining is also still done by hand.

Gemstone Information

Many beads are made from gemstone material. This section of All About Beads includes a brief history of gemstones, ancient gemstone lore and gemstone healing. Additional information for individual gemstones is on the gemstone list page.

For other kinds of beads and jewelry visit our home page Handmade Beaded Jewelry .org

Gemstone History

Much of the gemstone history comes from archiological discoveries, and ancient writings. They are often found in burial sites where they were meant to protect and accompany their owner into the next life. Evidence of the first jewelry dates from 25,000 – 12,000 B.C. The first types were pieces of bones, teeth, and shells that could be hung on the body as primitive necklaces.

As stronger tools were developed, carving became possible and jewelry materials were made into shapes. Soft, opaque stones were the first gemstone beads. By 2,500 B.C. carnelian, lapis lazuli, and rock crystal were in use.

Colorful gemstones were first found on the earth’s surface. There is evidence of gemstone mining of lapis lazuli in Afghanistan as early as 5,000 B.C. In 3,000 B.C there was mining of turquoise in the Sinai peninsula and of emeralds in Egypt. Amber was traded in the areas around the Baltic Sea. In North and South America turquoise was mined.

Ancient Beliefs

Gemstones have always been symbols of wealth, power, and authority. Kings put them in crowns, shields, swords, and jewelry. Adornment was not the only purpose for wearing them. Gemstones were thought to have many powers for healing and influencing future well being. They were given mystical powers and believed to possess life, old age, disease, and death. They even could become part of the body and soul of the wearer.

Specific beliefs about healing differed according to historical time period, geographical location, and religion. Probably the earliest use was by medicine men in ancient tribes. The early Egyptians, Babylonians, and Assyrians all believed that colored stones had healing properties. The color that the disease caused in the body determined the color of stone used. They could also influence the health of a specific part of the body and could protect it. Red stones were associated with blood, green with eyes, etc. Remedies included wearing the stone, pressing it against a wound, holding it in the mouth, steeping it in wine to be drunk, or grinding it into powder to be taken by mouth.

In the first century B.C. the Roman writer Pliny gave a description of the medical importance of gemstones. In the 12th century A.D. Hildegard, abbess of a convent in Germany, wrote a book of remedies. Later as transportation and trading became more common, merchants gave every possible value to each stone with much overlapping. There was at that time no way of differentiating minerals of similar colors. The same name was given to many gemstones of the same color. As a result, historical information is confusing.

Are you lookinng for handcrafted beaded gemstone jewelry? Click here

For more detailed information about individual gemstones, look on the Gemstone List page.

Jewelry Fashion Tips

How do you choose a necklace? Remember that every time you get dressed, you are designing the image that people see. In the photos, notice how necklaces can change the image.
We see in two different ways. When we look at something, we can consciously focus on a particular spot. Or we can gaze and let the eye wander until something attracts the focus. The eye can only really focus on one thing at a time. The most dominant will attract the eye first. If there is too much competing for dominance, the eye does not really find a focal point and views your image as a bunch of clutter.
What determines the dominance? Size, shape, color, brightness, contrast are a few things.
Light colors appear larger than dark colors.
Bright colors stand out.	Dull or dark colors recede.
You can control how people view your image by controlling the shape and position of the focal points. You probably already know that vertical or horizontal stripes can draw the eye in different directions. Other things can also do this. Beaded jewelry can help.
Want to add a vertical line to your image? Try a long 2 strand seedbead necklace or a long strand of large beads. A pendant can make beads hang in a straight V line rather than rounded.
This neutral color shirt has its own vertical lines. The short black necklace does not interfere with the stripes and maintains the very conservative color of the shirt.
Adding the long red seed beads creates a colorful focal point that interferes with the black stripes.	The short seed bead necklace is a better choice to add the same bright color.
For a longer vertical line, wear pants, or skirt, and top of the same color. Then add a long strand of beads in a contrasting color. If wearing a different color top, match the color of your necklace beads to your skirt. It will help draw the eye up.
Do you need a conservative career image? The traditional business suit for women seems to be less imperative today. A few simple pairs of earrings does not have to be the total jewelry wardrobe for the professional woman. A nice bead necklace in a neutral or subdued color can add interest to your career outfit.
A mix and match set would give you the option of wearing the basic necklace for work.	Then add a coordinating strand or longer length for other occasions. Look for these sets on the Gemstone Jewelry page.
To draw attention to your face, wear earrings and short necklaces that will frame your face. Choose colors that will compliment your skin tones. Pretty beads will draw attention to the top of your image. Don’t go wild and let your dominant jewelry distract from your face.
Your jewelry colors react the same way as clothes colors. Bright colors dominate. Contrast is even more important. Colors that match your clothes will blend in, colors that contrast will stand out.
This bright red on red print looks fine with the long matching red necklace. The seed beads add a touch of sparkle without competing with the print.	The onyx and red necklace is still suitable because it incorporates the two colors in the print. The necklace becomes the focus.
The long black milfiori necklace with its multi color flowers competes for dominance. A plain black necklace would be a better choice.	The short red coral beads are also a good choice.
If you have a beautiful bright or multi-color necklace that you want to highlight, wear it with a neutral plain fabric. I consider black, white, beige, and gray to be neutral colors. You might also wear a very dark or very light shade of one of the colors in your necklace.	You can also look at your bead jewelry from a distance. A strand of beads that combines a bright color with a neutral one can be considered a single color necklace if your eye focuses on the bright color and ignores the neutral. The onyx in this photo blends with the black sweater. The colorful beads stand out, making a splash of color without overdoing it. On white, both the black and the colors would be seen.
A necklace made entirely of a neutral color may not stand out at all and can add interest without attracting attention. Use it to make clothes the focus. Of course if its color contrasts with the fabric color, it will act the same as any other single color jewelry.
This moukaite necklace has the same color beads as the stripes in this fabric. From a distance the beads blend in and do not really show . The stripes remain dominent.
The peridot beads become dominent.
Our beads are designed to be worn rather than just looking pretty in a display case. Sometimes simple one color beads are a better choice to coordinate with your outfit than a fancy detailed necklace.
When you wear a print fabric, try standing about 12 feet away from a full length mirror, or drape it over a chair and look at it from across the room. You can see which colors of the print seem to stand out. The greater the distance, the more the small details seem to disappear.
When wearing a long necklace, choose a single color that matches the dominant color of your print fabric. Or for a more conservative look, match your beads to a background color of the print that will not compete for attention. In addition to color, the sizes and shapes of beads should look good with the shapes in the print.
This bright print dress has dominant pink and yellow flowers when viewed from a distance. I tried a pretty necklace that matches the pink perfectly. The details of the necklace get lost in the bright print.
Instead, plain yellow beads bring out the yellow in the print and I like them better.	A plain pink top lets the details of the pink necklace show.
Recently, I put a new fuchsia and teal print skirt on a chair and stood back to see the colors. The fuchsia was dominant. The store had paired a teal sweater with it. The teal was competing with the skirt instead of picking up the secondary color in it.  I tried an aqua crystal and black necklace to see if it would accent the teal in the skirt. The answer was no.
I didn’t really like the sweater until I put a rhodonite necklace with it. The beads echo the dominant color of the skirt at the top of the image and draw the eye focus.	The aqua necklace looks better with my aqua and black top.
When you wear a bright plain color fabric, choose beads that include a darker or lighter shade of the same color, a coordinating color, or a neutral color. Avoid too many different bright colors.
The peridot necklace blends with the lime color top and looks fine.	However, I prefer the faceted black onyx because it repeats the look of the black beaded flowers and adds emphasis to the top of my image.
Sparkling beads are even more dominant. Sparkling colorful jewelry can be worn with beautiful formal attire without being too overpowering. The same jewelry worn with casual clothes will be much more dominant. Look for sparkling jewelry on the Handmade Swarovski Jewelry page
The shape of your clothing neckline can determine whether you wear a short or long necklace. Again, stand back from the mirror. If the line of the beads interferes with the line formed by the neckline, choose a different length necklace. Usually a long strand of beads will look better with a round or high neckline.
A shorter strand will be a better choice for a deep V neckline.	To keep the emphasis on the deep V, wear beads that will not compete with it for dominance.
If your necklace combines many kinds of stones, shapes, sizes, colors, and chains, does anything dominate, or does your eye view it as too much variety with a point of focus difficult to find?
Your jewelry can be the most dominant feature in your image. Be aware of this fact, and determine whether or not you want it.
To find appropriate jewelry for designing your image, visit our Online Jewelry Store. Use the drop down menu or visit our home page, HANDMADE BEADED JEWELRY .ORG
Don’t forget to bookmark our site www.handmadebeadedjewelry.org

Mix and Match Necklace Sets
Use these directions with the necklace sets on the jewelry pages. Create an extra long necklace and 2 strand or 3 strand necklaces.

What does the term jewelry set mean to you?
A necklace, earrings, and bracelet, perhaps at a special price?
Our mix and match necklace sets offer much more than that.
We have designed individual necklaces that can be combined as a set. The colors coordinate.
These sets give you versatility and save you money.

Buy 2 strands. Get at least 4 necklaces.
Buy a third strand. Get at least 10.
Every additional strand gives you more options.
Buy the basic Swarovski necklace plus 2 additional strands for a total of $139.25.
It will cost you less than $13.93 for each Swarovski necklace you can create.
Isn’t that an excellent value?
Read the following directions, and discover the different unique beaded necklaces you can make.
Then click this link to see photos of those unique necklaces.

DIRECTIONS for using Mix and Match Sets:

Click a photo to see a larger picture.

All of the necklaces in a set fasten with an S hook clasp. 
The ends of the necklace are finished with rings which slide onto the hooks. 

When sliding the ring through the gap, turn it so that the smallest thickness of the ring goes through.
If you need to adjust the gap, pull it open slightly by hand.
We have adjusted the gap to allow the ring to fit in with a little pressure. 
Do not open the gap more than necessary, just enough for the ring to go through. Then  pinch it closed again.
When wearing the necklace, the weight of the beads will help hold the rings in place.

Two or more necklaces may be combined into one multi strand necklace.
Slide their rings onto the same S hook.
Use necklaces with a difference in length of at least 3/4 to 1 inch. Large beads need a greater difference than small beads.
A large difference in lengths will give you space between strands.

 
Do you like the colors of 2 necklaces of same length?
Try twisting the strands before placing the rings on the hook. 

For a different look, wear an S hook clasp in front.
You can add a long necklace to give this still another look.

Place both ends of one necklace on one end of the hook. Place both ends of another necklace on the other end to let it dangle down in front.

You can also dangle a pendant from the hook.

  Is the traditional 18 inch necklace too long for your medium scoop necklines?
Too short for turtlenecks?
To solve this problem, we have designed matching short and medium length necklaces. To make a long necklace, combine them by sliding the end ring of each onto the hook of the other.

The two hooks look nice when positioned on the sides of this long necklace.
To find out how long the necklace will be, add the lengths given in the description of each necklace.

You can also extend length by combining 2 same size toggle clasps or hook and eye clasps.

Our 10 inch extender may be used in place of the upper necklace

 
The same S hook can be used on any of our necklaces that have rings on both ends.
You need 2 hooks to extend length and only 1 for multiple strands.
I keep several styles of S hook for my necklaces and interchange them.
You can purchase optional hooks on the Silver page.

To combine more than 3 strands for a multi strand necklace, you will need one of our large S hooks that are sold separately.

You can find mix and match sets throughout our online store.
Some sets consist of only 2 or 3 strands. The colors are similar, or the same. But the bead sizes or shapes are different.
The crazy lace agate set is a good example.

A letter at the beginning of an item number designates a particular set.
All items with the same letter have been designed to coordinate.
You can choose your own components from any of our necklaces that use an S clasp.

Create a necklace that will enhance your outfit.

Here is a link to photos of 30 different Swarovski crystal necklaces made from three strands of our adjustable mix and match set.

Look for mix and match jewelry sets in the categories under Online Jewelry Store or use the jewelry links on the home page HANDMADE BEADED JEWELRY .ORG

Don’t forget to bookmark our site www.handmadebeadedjewelry.org or add it to your favorites.

EVERYTHING ABOUT GLASS BEADS

Making glass beads
Glass consists of silica, lime, and soda, or potash. When fired to a high temperature, these ingredients fuse and become transparent. Adding minerals produces colors: iron – green and blue, cobalt – deep blue, manganese – purple, gold – red and pink, lead – brightens colors and clarifies clear glass, calcium or tin – makes colors opaque. An opalescent milky sheen is produced by adding bone ash or by not letting all the crystals melt away during the heating. Repeated heating and cooling eliminates gas and air bubbles that cause flaws and cracks.

Lampwork glass
Some of the earliest glass beads were made at home in areas that are now the Czech Republic and southern Germany. The beads were made individually by hand. A glass cane was melted using a gas lamp. The name lamp or lampwork glass refers to beads that are still made in nearly the same way.

Lampwork glass beads are now made in workshops in those same geographical areas. They are also made in Venice and Murano, Italy. In the United States, artists and hobbyists make one of a kind beads. A small torch is used rather than a gas lamp. The glass cane is melted and wrapped around a wire to form the bead. It can be rolled in a mold to form the shape.

Lampwork beads are decorated in many ways. In the workshops where they are made in large quantities for sale, the workers must be trained to produce nearly identical beads. Some of the designs include:
A core of silver or gold foil under colored glass, sometimes with flowers, swirls, or patterns over the foil.
A gold design on the surface.
Design of another color on the surface such as dots, lines, stripes, spirals, wavy lines, either left raised or polished smooth.
Frosted, a matte finish from an acid bath.
Crumbled, rolled in powdered glass before cooling.
Fusing colors from 2 canes in the same bead.
Millefiori (thousand flowers) using slices of canes that have flower designs which were previously made from various smaller colored canes. A layer of clear glass encases the flowers.
A core decorated with a flower or coil under a layer of clear glass.
A lacy effect using a combination of colored, milky white, or clear canes twisted together and encased in clear glass.
Some of these designs were developed in Venice and Murano.

Faceted glass beads are made in 2 ways. They may be cut, either by hand or by machine using glass containing lead for crystal beads. Another method makes beads that are fire polished. They are molded and then heat treated using glass that does not have lead. The heat creates a smooth finish and clean edges.

Pressed glass beads are made by pouring molten glass into molds to form the shapes.

Buy glass bead jewelry. Look in the drop down menu under Online Jewelry Store or use the link on our home page Handmade Beaded Jewelry. Org

SEED BEADS 

Seed bead is a name given to tiny glass beads. The name is often used as a general term that includes all kinds of tiny beads. It is also used as a name for a particular kind of tiny bead.

Making seed beads
Beads can be made using 2 methods. The wound method is primarily the same as used for lampglass. The beads are made one at a time. Most seed beads are no longer made this way.

The drawn method forms a tube of glass which can be cut into many beads. Excellent quality seed beads are made in Japan using this method in modern factories.

Determining sizes of seed beads
Numbers up to 24 are assigned to seed beads to indicate the size. The higher the number, the smaller the bead. The sizes start at about 1mm. The bead size for each number may vary from one company to another. The smallest beads from #18 to #24 are no longer made and considered antiques.

Kinds of seed beads
These tiny beads are known by different names according to size and shape. A bugle bead is the same diameter as a seed bead, but longer, resembling a tube. The length is 1/8 inch or longer, 2mm to 30mm. The shape can be straight or twisted. Delica is a thin walled Japanese bead, usually size #11. Charlotte is a seed bead that has been ground flat on one side. Two cuts looks like a short faceted bugle bead. Three cuts has random cuts all over. Hex cuts are 6 sided. Rocaille is silver lined. E beads are doughnut shaped #6, about 4mm.

Seed beads are many colors. They can be transparent, translucent. or opaque. The surface can be shiny, semi gloss, or matte. Coatings are sometimes applied. Aurora borealis gives rainbow iridescence. Luster is a transparent coating that gives shine. Pearlescent gives milky luster. Galvanized is a thin metal electroplated coating.

Find seed bead jewelry. Look in the drop down menu under Online jewelry Store. Visit our home page HANDMADE BEADED JEWELRY .ORG

All about Swarovski crystal beads

You can see Swarovski crystal jewelry in our online jewelry store. Look in the drop down menu. Visit our home page Handmade Beaded Jewelry .Org

History of Swarovski Crystal
In 1862 Daniel Swarovski was born in Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The area was an important center for manufacturing glass and crystal. He learned the glass cutting trade in his father’s small factory. At that time, cutting was done by hand.

In 1892 he invented a crystal cutting machine which was faster and more precise than hand cutting. In 1895 Daniel Swarovski, his brother-in-law Franz Weis, and Armand Kosmann founded the Swarovski company in Wattens, Austria near Innsbruck.

Machine cutting results in identical size, shape, and sharp facets. Swarovski crystal contains 32% lead which gives the glass purity and sparkle. Color is the result of adding chemicals during the formation of the crystals. As in gemstones, different chemicals absorb different wave lengths of light. We see the opposite color. Swarovski controls color and produces identical beads.

In 1995 the Swarovski company perfected a computer controlled technique for producing crystal beads that are even more precise. The perfect facets control light reflection and produce maximum sparkle.

Swarovski beads are available in many colors, coatings, and shapes. Coatings change the look of the color. The most popular, aurora borealis (AB) causes a rainbow effect. This color chart includes many, but not all, of their colors.

Swarovski Crystal Colors

Swarovski Birthstone Colors

Find handcrafted Swarovski beaded jewelry. Click here.

Special order handcrafted Swarovski crystal jewelry necklaces, bracelets and earrings in these colors.

Here you will read about differences in sizes of the types of bead shapes.

BEAD SHAPES
The names of bead shapes are usually descriptive. The actual beads may seem a little different from their photo. The reason is that they are 3 dimensional, while the photo is 2 dimensional.

Let’s compare different shapes of 8mm beads.

Lets compare a necklace of 10mm round beads to a necklace of 8mm round beads. On a ruler 2 millimeters difference looks very small. It measures diameter. When you see the actual necklaces, the 10mm beads will be much larger.

In the jewelry descriptions, I list the bead shapes and tell you a size range. The thing to remember is that photos can be deceiving.

You can see jewelry containing beads in these shapes. Look in the Online Jewelry Store drop down menu. Visit our home page Handmade Beaded Jewelry .Org 

Millimeter Conversion Charts

Convert Millimeters To Inches

BEAD SIZE CHART 

Convert Inches to Millimeters

For more information about beads and jewelry visit our home page
handmade beaded jewelry.org