There are several types of beads enjoyed by fashion jewelry lovers these days, with each of them having its unique qualities, manufactory technology, and specific design. In this article, we’ll uncover the basic types of beads you should certainly know about before adding the new ones to your collection.
- Essential types of beads to know
- Conclusion
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Angular Scallop Sterling Silver Hoop Earrings by BeYindi 43.72 USD -
Freshwater Champagne Pearl 6 MM 925 Silver Stud Earrings by BeYindi 15.86 USD -
Two Amethyst Spheres Ring With Sterling Silver by BeYindi 31.97 USD -
Freshwater Purple Pearl 6 MM 925 Silver Stud Earrings by BeYindi 15.86 USD -
Multicolored Round Agate Bead Bracelet with Silver Peace Charm by BeYindi 26.06 USD -
Round Discs Linked 925 Silver Dangle Earrings by BeYindi 23.95 USD -
925 Sterling Silver Chain Bracelet With Duck Little Charm by BeYindi 23.19 USD -
Large White MOP Carved Spirals Oval Sterling Silver Pendant by BeYindi 42.02 USD
Content of the table
Essential types of beads to know
To improve your better understanding of the beads’ material and their qualities, we have collected the most beautiful types and are ready to share you with a bit of explanation on each. First of all, let’s start with the general list of bead types according to their material:
- Acrylic Beads
- Glass Beads
- Murano Glass Beads
- Spacer Beads
- European Style Beads
- Pearl Beads
- Wooden Beads
Now, let’s uncover all these types in detail for a deeper understanding of the main characteristics of each bead type and how it is used in jewelry design.
#1 Acrylic beads
Acrylic Beads – this is a term that can be used to describe any bead that was made of plastic or any other polymerized materials. Those might be either made of resin, Fimo clay, or other types of plastics. They have the advantage of being light and low price. Another benefit is that they will suit a wide range of clothing and occasions. The premium quality makes them as popular as glass or wooden ones.
#2 Glass beads
Premium quality glass beads with faceted surfaces represent another popular type of beads. Those are called crystal beads. Numerous shapes are available for crystals providing many design choices.
As long as the glass is the most common material to be used in beads production, glass beads tend to become the most popular type of beads. Glass beads offered on our website look expensive and very elegant.
#3 Murano glass beads
One more popular type of bead is Murano Glass Beads, also called the Venetian Beads. Those are thought to be the best quality glass beads in the whole world. Their glass designs are greatly influenced by Venetian glass artists. Since 1291, the Murano glassmakers have been refining the techniques of glass making like crystalline, enameled, multicolored, and milk. They produce beads of unmatched world-class quality. Additionally, you’ll never find the two exactly alike Murano glass beads: each bead features its unique design and unusual patterns, which is no wonder since they are made by hand.
Simply put, these beads are made of glass which contains around 70% silica (sand), quite sturdy for daily wearing. However, the beads of the complex shapes and designs can be more delicate, so it’s still better to treat them gently. Most of the beads are made on copper, stainless steel, silver, or gold mandrel.
#4 Spacer beads
Spacer beads, as it can be evident from their name, are used to space out the beads on a bracelet or chain. They are mostly metal, made of high-quality sterling silver, and are placed in-between other beads to organize them or to emphasize some of them.
Another name these beads are recognized with is filler beads. They can be a perfect option for separating the beads of different types and colors, and help to maintain the style of your jewelry. Also, you can play with the spacer beads forms too, since manufacturers offer numerous patterns to make the final design more complex and catching. So, you can easily find in stocks a variety of spacer beads, including heishi beads, daisy spacers, roundels, squares, and more.
Additionally, some types of space beads can also be used for security purposes, since they can prevent the bracelet from unfastening with the specific chain attached to them. For instance, one bead is worn at the very beginning of the bracelet when the other is locking the other beads on the bracelet base. This way, even if the bracelet is occasionally unfastened, it won’t slip down off your hand.
#5 European style beads
In short, European style beads are versatile beads with a special design to make them fit the classic European style bracelets –from 10mm to 20mm in size with a screw threading hole of about 6 mm diameter. The comparatively large hole size makes them perfect for matching with any style of chain, rope, metal, fabric, leather, and other bracelet bases for jewelry-making.
Originally this type of beads was found at the start of the new millennium in Europe, where it was used for creating modular bracelets with any number of beads. At present, you can find European-style charms in bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and other jewelry. The versatility of these beads has already transformed them into the most popular type of charms used for creating jewelry of a special customized design that can be changed anytime.
#6 Pearl beads
Pearl beads are made of either freshwater pearls or coated glass ones. Each type has varying levels of quality within, but basically more expensive and desired are those handcrafted with freshwater pearls. Freshwater pearls are sometimes tinted with various colors making them more universal. Coated glass pearls feature generic glass beads covered with a pearlescent highly resistant coating.
Freshwater pearls are also sometimes are placed into one category with beads of semiprecious nature. Those are made with semi-precious stones such as agate, hematite, turquoise, shells, and others.
#7 Wooden beads
Wooden beads, also known as natural beads, refer to the most popular categories of beads used for jewelry making at present. And, since the trend for eco-friendly clothes and accessories is now at its peak, there’s never been a better time of including this type of beads in your next bracelet, earrings, or necklace.
The main quality of wooden beads is that they can feature different color tones and wood grain patterns. That is why they can be perfectly matched with gems, glass, pearls, metal, and other different types of beads. Even with adding only one or two wooden beads to your jewelry, you’ll make a little natural accent with the unusual beaded combination.
Conclusion
That was a brief introduction to the bead types you can use when making unique jewelry of any design. After you know all the qualities of the various styles and shapes of beads, you’re sure to select the premium quality beads for your necklaces, bracelets, bead bag charms, and more.
Check our online store to uncover the newest collection of our best beads in all their glory!