Spoilt Rotten Beads Beading Glossary
Aurora Borealis - Aurora Borealis (AB or A/B) is a light reflecting finish applied to the exterior of beads of any shape or size or material. Other names a bead glossary may have for AB-type finishes are iris, oil slick, or rainbow. An AB finish on a clear glass bead can indeed appear as a rainbow; on beads of color, it is more subtle but highly reflective. The real Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, is a fabulous color display in the night sky caused by the interaction between the solar wind, the Earth's magnetic field, and the upper atmosphere.
Abalone - Iridescent pieces of shell from the abolone sea mollusk, abalone shells make beautiful beads.
Agate - A form of chalcedony which occurs in many colours and ranges from transparent to opaque. Metaphysical properties: protection, courage, health, and confidence.
Amber - Fossilized sap or pitch from trees, usually golden brown and translucent. Said to promote healing and give protection from negativity.
Aquamarine - Aquamarine is a member if the beryl family. It is a brilliant, clear gemstone that is sometimes mistaken or the less expensive blue topaz. Aquamarine beads range in colour from light to dark blue, and sometimes a bluish green. Aquamarine is traditionally the birthstone for March and is believed to be a universal symbol of youth, hope, and health.
B.
Bail - A finding that connects a pendant to a necklace. They come in different forms: some clip onto the pendant, some have mounts to glue the pendant to, and some attach to a ring on the pendant. The purpose is to hold the pendant flat when worn.
Bali Beads - A style of Sterling silver beads made individually by hand often in Bali, Indonesia.
Briolettes - are a shape and a style of faceting, that is: gemstone cutting (defined courtesy of the International Gem Society). Briolette beads are usually an oval or pear shape with its entire surface cut in angular facets for a beautiful sparkle. Briolette cuts are found in almost all gemstones.
Bullion - Also known as French Wire or Gimp. This is a very finely coiled wire that forms a flexible tube like a spring. It is used for finishing the ends of strung jewelry pieces. It is threaded over the cord to cover it where it is normally exposed, such as where the cord goes through the loop on the clasp at the ends of the piece. It gives a professional look and protects the bead cord from fraying from exposure.
C.
Cabochon - are flat-backed and UNFACETED. Highly polished with a convex (outwardly rounded) surface, gemstone cabochons have been mounted into jewelry settings for millennia.
D.
Delica Beads - Are precision cut glass beads nade by the Miyuki company in Japan. Our Delica Beads are size 11/0 and have a diameter of 1.6mm, length of 1.3mm and a hole size 0.80-0.85mm. Delica beads have a fine uniform shape which makes them lock together perfectly when woven together.
Delica Beads - Are precision cut glass beads nade by the Miyuki company in Japan. Our Delica Beads are size 11/0 and have a diameter of 1.6mm, length of 1.3mm and a hole size 0.80-0.85mm. Delica beads have a fine uniform shape which makes them lock together perfectly when woven together.
E.
Earwires - The classic earwire has a coil, a metal ball, and a loop that can be opened to attach to an earring. Earwires are available in different compositions and finishes, like gold filled, silver plated, brass, or steel. Choose a colour that complements your earring design. Buy Earwires
Enamel - A silicone-like substance that is baked on metal, glass or ceramic beads to apply decorative colour, glossy finishes, or protective coating to beads. Some enamel applications are detailed and contain many colours like a painted floral design. Enamel beads became widely popular during the 60s and throughout the 70s, but were not as common in the 80s and 90s. Today, enamel beads are available from almost any bead retailer and are extremely popular.
End Cap A bead with a single hole used to finish the end of a length of wire. These are commonly used to secure the end of a memory wire bracelet or necklace and are fastened with glue.
Earwires - The classic earwire has a coil, a metal ball, and a loop that can be opened to attach to an earring. Earwires are available in different compositions and finishes, like gold filled, silver plated, brass, or steel. Choose a colour that complements your earring design. Buy Earwires
Enamel - A silicone-like substance that is baked on metal, glass or ceramic beads to apply decorative colour, glossy finishes, or protective coating to beads. Some enamel applications are detailed and contain many colours like a painted floral design. Enamel beads became widely popular during the 60s and throughout the 70s, but were not as common in the 80s and 90s. Today, enamel beads are available from almost any bead retailer and are extremely popular.
End Cap A bead with a single hole used to finish the end of a length of wire. These are commonly used to secure the end of a memory wire bracelet or necklace and are fastened with glue.
F.
Fluorite - Fluorite (also called fluorspar) is a
Fluorite - Fluorite (also called fluorspar) is a
. Fluorite is a colorful mineral, both in visible and ultraviolet light, and the stone has ornamental and lapidary uses.
G.
Gemstones - A gemstone or gem (also called a precious or semi-precious stone, or jewel) is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewellery, beads or other adornments.[1][2] However certain rocks, (such as lapis lazuli) and organic materials (such as amber or jet) are not minerals, but are still used for jewellery and beads, and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewellery making because of their lustre or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone. Apart from jewellery, from earliest antiquity until the 19th century engraved gems and hardstone carvings such as cups were major luxury art forms; the carvings of Carl Fabergé were the last significant works in this tradition.
G.
Gemstones - A gemstone or gem (also called a precious or semi-precious stone, or jewel) is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewellery, beads or other adornments.[1][2] However certain rocks, (such as lapis lazuli) and organic materials (such as amber or jet) are not minerals, but are still used for jewellery and beads, and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewellery making because of their lustre or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone. Apart from jewellery, from earliest antiquity until the 19th century engraved gems and hardstone carvings such as cups were major luxury art forms; the carvings of Carl Fabergé were the last significant works in this tradition.
H.
Hematite, also spelled as haematite, is the mineral form of iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3), one of several iron oxides. Hematite crystallizes in the rhombohedral system, and it has the same crystal structure as ilmenite and corundum. Hematite and ilmenite form a complete solid solution at temperatures above 950 °C. Hematite is a mineral, colored black to steel or silver-gray, brown to reddish brown, or red. It is mined as the main ore of iron. Varieties include kidney ore, martite (pseudomorphs after magnetite), iron rose and specularite (specular hematite). While the forms of hematite vary, they all have a rust-red streak. Hematite is harder than pure iron, but much more brittle. Maghemite is a hematite- and magnetite-related oxide mineral.
I.
J.
Jade is an ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:
Jade is an ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:
K.
L.
Labradorite a feldspar mineral It occurs in large crystal masses in anorthosite and shows a play of colors called labradorescence. The labradorescence, or schiller effect, is the result of light refracting within lamellar intergrowths resulting from phase exsolution on cooling in the Boggild miscibility gap, An48-An58. Gemstone varieties of labradorite exhibiting a high degree of labradorescence are called spectrolite.
Labradorite a feldspar mineral It occurs in large crystal masses in anorthosite and shows a play of colors called labradorescence. The labradorescence, or schiller effect, is the result of light refracting within lamellar intergrowths resulting from phase exsolution on cooling in the Boggild miscibility gap, An48-An58. Gemstone varieties of labradorite exhibiting a high degree of labradorescence are called spectrolite.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Peridot - Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occur in only one colour, an olive green. The intensity and tint of the green, however, depends on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure, so the color of individual peridot gems and beads can vary from yellow- to olive- to brownish-green. The most valued color is a dark olive-green.
Q.
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz, several of which are semi-precious gemstones.
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz, several of which are semi-precious gemstones.
R.
Rhodonite is a manganese inosilicate, (Mn, Fe, Mg, Ca)SiO3 and member of the pyroxenoid group of minerals, crystallizing in the triclinic system. It commonly occurs as cleavable to compact masses with a rose-red color (the name comes from the Greek ῥόδος rhodos, rosy), often tending to brown because of surface oxidation.
S.
T.
U.
V.
W.
X.
Y.
Z
Beading Questions
1. How many beads do you need?
Use this chart to determine how many beads you'll need to complete a uniform bead strand
Bead Size Length of Strand
| 1" | 7" | 16" | 18" | |
| 3mm | 8.3 | 58 | 132 | 148 |
| 4mm | 6.3 | 44 | 100 | 113 |
| 5mm | 5.1 | 36 | 82 | 92 |
| 6mm | 4.2 | 29 | 68 | 76 |
| 8mm | 3.2 | 22 | 51 | 57 |
| 10mm | 2.5 | 18 | 40 | 45 |
2. What do the "/0" numbers beside the seed and delica beads mean?
Seed beads are sized in aughts, which are different than millimeters. No one seems to know exactly what an “aught” is but the bead sizes are in inverse proportion to the size of the beads. A size 15 is very small, and size 6 is big.
aught size - mm diameter
6/0 - 3.3
8/0 - 2.5
11/0 - 1.8
15/0 - 1.3
11/0 delica - 1.8