Forms of Beads

Although the word 'bead' was originally intended to describe the small, globular bodies that were used for the counting of prayers, today's definition is nowhere near as restrictive. As applied to jewelry, a bead is any small, performed object, spherical or otherwise, that is used for stringing or for sewing into fabric.

Beads come in all types of materials, shapes, sizes and colors. The most common materials are gemstones, glass, plastic, metal and wood; the shapes can be round, oval, square, nugget or cylindrical. The textures vary from smooth to faceted, fluted, carved or inlaid with other materials. Colors range from the snowiest white to the deepest jet black, with the offering of the rainbow, in between.

Natural and manmade gemstone, as well as metal beads, are the most popular beads for stringing, therefore some discussion is in order as to the sizes, colors and styles available, and also some help in determining just how many will be required for a given project.

Gemstones

Gemstones are usually available on temporarily strung strands, although the specially items, such as cloisonné, are generally sold in small quantities or singly. The quality of the gemstones depends upon the material composition, as well as the source (origin) of the bead. When selecting your beads, ensure that all of the beads of the same type and size are uniform in shape and size, that the boreholes have been evenly drilled, and that the beads themselves are free from structural flaws, such as chips or cracks.

The range of colours available is staggering and the following table lists easily available gemstones.

Gemstone and Their Colors

GEMSTONE	COLOR
Abalone	Irridescent colors
Amethyst	Lavender
Black jade	Black -dyed serpentine
Black onyx	Black agate
Blue lace agate	Banded Light blue
Blue onyx	Med blue-dyed agate
Botswana agate	Pink, grey and lavenders
Carnelian	Orange-red, translucent
Citrine	Light to golden yellow
Coral	Red, white, pink or orange
Crystal	White, clear or frosted
Fossil	Grey/white, natural or dyed any color
Garnet	Wine reds
Goldstone	Brown with metallic flecks
Green moss agate	Tramslucent background with moss- like inclusions
Hematite	Metallic, dark silvery
How wlite	White with black veining
Jade	Various colours, usually green tones
Lapis lazuli:	Blue, some pyrite or white calcite (usually dyed)
Malachite	Green, stripes and eyes
Mother of pearl	Creamy white pearl
Opal	Glassy, translucent with play of color
Red jasper	Brick red
Rhodonite	Pink with black patterns
Rose quarts	Transluscent pink
Sodalite	Deep blue, occasional white calcite
Striped onyx	Green, cream, tan
Tigereye	Brown, gold bands
Tourmaline	Pink or green
Turquoise	Blue, some with black matrix
Unakite	Olive-green and subtle pink
White onyx	Pure white

Birthstones

January	Garnet or Rose Quartz
February	Amethyst or Onyx
March	Aquamarine or Bloodstone
April	Diamond, or white spinel, frosted crystal
May	Emerald or Chrysoprase
June	Pearl, moonstone or alexandrite
July	Ruby or Carnelion
August	Peridot or Sardonyx
September	Sapphire or Lapis
October	Opal or Tourmaline
November	Topaz or Citrine
December	Zircon or Turquoise