Archive for the ‘Beading’ Category

What kinds of beads should you use for jewelry?

Saturday, October 20th, 2007

When you are making jewelry out of beads the main type of bead that you are going to be using is a decorative bead. These beads are specifically designed for making jewelry but are also used for other purposes. Most of your decorative beads are a type of glass bead because of the way that glass beads look. Like all other types of beads decorative beads come in a variety of shapes and sizes, as well as in a variety of color. Depending on what kind of jewelry you are going to be making will depend on what kind of bead you will be using and what size beads you will be using.

Glass beads:
 Chevron beads – these types of beads are a special kind of glass bead that was originally made for the slave trade in Africa. They are made up of many consecutive layers of colored glass, with the core being formed as a star shaped mold and can have anywhere from five to fifteen points. Also the layers of glass can be of any color, but are traditionally red, white, and blue, but can come in a variety of color patterns.
 Dichroic beads – these are glass beads that have multiple layers of micro-thin metals on top of the glass.
 Fire polished beads – these beads are another type of glass bead, except they are faceted and are very popular to use when making jewelry. They come in sizes from 3 mm to 22 mm. The pattern of the edges is always the same, which is why they can be confused with lead crystal beads.
 Lampwork beads – these are another form of glass beads that are made by using a torch to heat a rod of glass and spinning the resulting thread around a metal rod covered in bead release. After the base bead has been formed other colors of glass are added to create numerous designs.
 Millefiori beads – these types of glass beads are made of plain wound glass bead cores and thin slices of cut cane which are pressed into the bead surface. This technique forms mosaic like patterns
 Pressed glass beads – these type of beads are a glass bead that have been made from a mold to give it its shape. These beads can have holes punched into in pretty much any direction.

Other types of beads used in jewelry:
 Shell beads – these types of beads are made from sea sheels from a variety of different shelled fish, such as oysters, abalone, etc.
 Seed beads – these beads are pretty much uniformly shaped, meaning that they are all the same shape which is a spheroidal shape. They range in size from under a millimeter to several millimeters. This type of bead is a generic term that refers to any small type of bead that is rounded in shape. These kinds of beads are most often used for loom and off-loom bead weaving, but can also be used for simple stringing or as spacers between others beads when making jewelry. The larger beads are used in various fiber crafts as a type of embellishment or are used in crocheting with fiber or wire.
 Lead crystal beads – these beads have a high content of lead oxide, which makes them crystal rather than glass. Because they are crystal they sparkle more than glass beads and are often multi-faceted so that the resemble gemstones.
 Faux natural beads – these beads are basically any kind of imitation of original material such as gemstones, pearls, rocks, minerals, precious metals and ivory.

 

What are the uses of beads besides jewelry?

Saturday, October 13th, 2007

If you have ever looked at any type of jewelry you will notice that beads are a popular item for making jewelry. But if you have ever been to a craft fair or to craft shows you probably already know that beads have other uses besides making jewelry. Beads can be used for a variety of different things; it all depends on the person who is using the beads and their imagination. The reason that beads can be used for such a wide variety of activities is because of how versatile beads are. Beads come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Not to mention the fact that beads come in a variety of different types, such as glass, crystal, plastic, etc. Not only do beads come in all of those different varieties but they also come in every color you can imagine, as well as in patterns. While working with beads can be time consuming and tiring, the craft itself is made rather easy because of all of the variations when it comes to beads.

One of the most popular uses for beads besides jewelry is decoration. You can string, sew, glue, or tape beads on to almost anything you can think of. One of the most popular beads for decorating purposes is glass beads. These beads are used for embellishments because of how pretty they are and how they look when they sun hits them. But trade beads are also used to embellish certain things, such as crocheted plant hangers or even sweaters.

Another use for beads is for crafting. You can make so many different types of craft projects with beads that the possibilities seem endless. You can make wall hangings or embellish your crafts, such as photo album covers or picture frames with a variety of beads. Many people who make crafts for weddings or babies use a lot of beads to embellish their work.

Another popular use for beads is to simply string beads. There are numerous things that you can use stringed beads for. You can use large stringed beads to create a type of curtain. You can string small beads to create chains for pens or glasses so that you don’t lose them. Or you can string crystal beads so that you can hang them in the windows as a type of decoration that is used to catch the sun and play off the reflection.

Here are some ideas for the uses of beads other than using them for jewelry.
 flys for fishing
 to decorate greeting cards
 dollhouse miniatures – such as vases, lamps, lightbulbs, hatboxes
 to adorn dolls
 to hang on draperies
 to sew on quilts
 to decorate purses
 to put fringe on purses
 to put on ends of curtain rods
 to hang on fan chains
 to decorate frames
 fringe on scarves
 game pieces
 a customized rosary
 meditation beads
 wine identifiers
 on spines of handmade books
 tassels

These are only some of the different ideas that beads can be used for. In fact beads can be used on just about anything. In fact at one point in time beads were used as currency to buy slaves from Africa, which is how slave beads came about. You can also use beads in certain art projects. For example instead of painting a picture you can take different beads and glue them in a certain order to create a picture. You can even use beads to make Christmas tree ornaments or decorations.

How To Create A Beaded Candle Holder

Wednesday, October 10th, 2007

Did you know you can make beautiful candle holders for your self or others? This is a craft idea that works for everyone, even your kids, with adult supervision. When starting a new project it is always recommended to go to a craft store or craft website for instructions, idea of patterns, and pricing of materials.

Once you have the idea and cost of the craft project picked out the fun part begins. You can pick to do a simple design with crystal or glass beads that the flame light can bounce off of. You could also do a more detailed beaded candle holder.

For these projects you would need:

1. Glass or crystal beads
2. Wire thread so that it does not melt when the candle holder heats up
3. A pair of wire cutters
4. A pair of pliers.
5. A glass cup or cups that have a groove in the top that you can string the beads on the wire and the wrap it around and glass in the groove.
6. A plain candle stick or sticks that are flat on top and on bottom
7. A block of wood or pieces of wood about 2"x3"
8. Stretchy elastic stings
9. Stencils
10. Pencils
11. Craft glue that dries clearly
12. Small beads for the more detailed candle holder
13. Candles

For the first beaded candle holder you will need the wire cutters, pliers, glass beads, a glass cup or cups. Once you have all the materials, decide in what order or pattern you’ll want to place all the beads. Next you cut a piece of wire about 2 inches longer than you need. You fold the wire on one end to keep the beads from falling off as you string them. Once you have all the beads strung very carefully wrap the beaded wire around the groove in the glass cup.  Wrap all the way around and meet the ends, twist the excess together. Then take the pliers and twist the wire tight so the beads do not slip down. Cut the excess off and place a candle inside and light it; then sit back and watch the colors bounce off the beads.

Another idea for a beaded candle is taking a preformed or plain candle holder and beads, stretchy elastic string, scissors and craft glue. You can make several bracelet rings that are the size of the straight space between the top flat candle stand and the wide base and sting. You can string the beads and then stretch them over the top or base and stack them up the middle or string them and tie them on one at a time. When you place the final top and bottom bracelet on the middle, you need to glue them in place to keep the others from slipping. If they are all a little loose, you can glue them to the middle as you go so that you do not have gaps. Once the glue dries you can place a candle on the flat top and enjoy.

Many like to make a beaded candle holder that takes a little more effort and requires tweezers and a stencil with a pattern. Use the extra small beads and craft glue, and a flat or smooth surface that you can draw a pattern on even a block of wood would work. Take the stencil and wrap it around the item you picked to draw on in this case a piece of wood and start to trace the stencil pattern onto the wood. Once you have the pattern you desire trace on the wood, the next step is to pick what color of beads to out line the traced pattern and what colors you’ll want to fill it in with. Note, in leaves and solid patterns you can use more than one color to give it more of a natural look. Then pick up the bead with the tweezers and dip it in the glue. Then place it on the pattern where you want it to go. Repeat this step till you have completed the pattern or picture the way you want it. Let the glue dry and then place a candle on top and look at your fine work.

You can see there are many ways to make a beaded candle holder. Just have to decide how you want it to look. You can find information on crafts like this in many places such as the local library, internet, craft stores, and even sometimes local classes

Types of decorative beads, and their uses

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

If you are interested in using beads for jewelry, crafting or other art forms it would be helpful to know about the different types of decorative beads and what they can be used for. It is pretty common for any type of decorative bead to be used for any kind of jewelry making, but some beads are actually not recommended for jewelry making due to their characteristics. There are also other beads that are better suited for arts and crafts instead of jewelry making.

Here are the types of decorative beads, and their uses
 Chevron beads – these types of beads are a special kind of glass bead that was originally made for the slave trade in Africa. They are made up of many consecutive layers of colored glass, with the core being formed as a star shaped mold and can have anywhere from five to fifteen points. Also the layers of glass can be of any color, but are traditionally red, white, and blue. These beads are usually used for jewelry.
 Dichroic beads – these are glass beads that have multiple layers of micro-thin metals on top of the glass.
 Ethnic beads – these are another type of trade bead, but they are used for specific purposes in certain countries. They can be used to make rosaries, used for ceremony jewelry or can be used to make jewelry to be buried with the dead.
 Faux natural beads – these beads are basically any kind of imitation of original material such as gemstones, pearls, rocks, minerals, precious metals and ivory.
 Fire polished beads – these beads are another type of glass bead, except they are faceted and are very popular to use when making jewelry. They come in sizes from 3 mm to 22 mm. The pattern of the edges are always the same, which is why they can be confused with lead crystal beads.
 Furnace glass beads – these beads are usually used for art purposes. And they are made using traditional glass working techniques that are often used to make art glass objects. You can use these beads for other purposes, but because of their design and shapes you mostly find them in art projects rather than jewelry.
 Lampwork beads – these are another form of glass beads that are made by using a torch to heat a rod of glass and spinning the resulting thread around a metal rod covered in bead release. After the base bead has been formed other colors of glass are added to create numerous designs.
 Lead crystal beads – these are great beads for jewelers and hobbyists. They have a high content of lead oxide, which makes them crystal rather than glass. Because they are crystal they sparkle more than glass beads and are often multi-faceted so that the resemble gemstones. These types of beads are often used for crafts and jewelry where crystal is needed. Do not confuse these beads with fake crystal beads.
 Millefiori beads – these types of glass beads are made of plain wound glass bead cores and thin slices of cut cane which are pressed into the bead surface. This technique forms mosaic like patterns
 Pressed glass beads – these type of beads are a glass bead that have been made from a mold to give it its shape. These beads can have holes punched into in pretty much any direction.
 Seed beads – these beads are pretty much uniformly shaped, meaning that they are all the same shape which is a spheroidal shape. They range in size from under a millimeter to several millimeters. This type of bead is a generic term that refers to any small type of bead that is rounded in shape. These kinds of beads are most often used for loom and off-loom bead weaving, but can also be used for simple stringing or as spacers between others beads when making jewelry. The larger beads are used in various fiber crafts as a type of embellishment or are used in crocheting with fiber or wire.
 Shell beads – these types of beads are made from sea sheels from a variety of different shelled fish, such as oysters, abalone, etc. You mostly find these beads used in jewelry, art, and crafts.
 Trade beads or slave beads – these kinds of beads are pretty much the same thing as Chevron beads and are used for the same purposes.

The differences in materials of beads

Saturday, September 29th, 2007

Besides the numerous types of beads that are available another interesting thing about beads is the differences in material. Beads are made up of many different materials, which is what helps make the beads so different. No matter what kind of material the beads are made out the still come in a variety of different shapes, sizes and colors, which makes them pretty universal. But because of the beads begin made out of different materials so beads are designed for a specific purpose, such as crafting, art, jewelry, etc. But the good thing about beads is that even though they might be made out of glass, which is used a lot for jewelry, you can still use the glass beads for other purposes, beads are very universal regardless of what they are made up of.

Here are some of the materials that beads are made up of.

Plastic:
Most of your beads that are designed for jewelry are not made from plastic, but you can find some plastic beads that are designed for piercing, which is basically designed for stringing. One of the most common types of beads that are made out of plastic is your seed beads. One of the great things about plastic is that you can actually mold the beads to the string during production. In fact the throw beads that you see at Mardi Gras and the fake bead necklaces that kids use for dress up are made out of plastic beads being molded onto a thread. Plastic is a popular material used in making beads but one thing to keep in mind is that plastic is not a raw material, it is entirely man made. With plastic beads different types of dyes are added to change the colors.

Glass:
Glass is another popular material that beads are made up of.  Most of your glass beads were designed for jewelry and other art forms with beads. Unlike plastic beads glass beads can not be molded onto a thread during production. The only way to make anything out of glass beads is by stringing the beads with a machine or by hand. Glass is another material of bead that is entirely man made, meaning it isn’t a raw material. Another thing about glass beads is that there are other chemicals added to it to change the color of the glass.

Stone:
This is probably the most popular method of making beads from raw materials. Both glass and plastic beads are man made, but stone is a completely natural product. One of the best things about using stones to make beads is that if you have the right equipment you can make your own stone beads. Stone beads only come in their natural color, so in order to get the right color you are going to have to pick a certain kind of stone.

While these three materials are the most common materials used in making beads there are still other materials, both raw and man made materials that are used to make beads. Some other materials that are used to make beads are: bone, horn, ivory, metal, shell, pearl, coral, gemstones, polymer, clay, metal clay, resin, synthetic materials, wood, ceramic, fiber, paper, and seeds. The main difference between all of these materials, besides them being natural materials, is how the materials are processed to make the beads and what things are added to the materials in order to change the color or shape of the bead. Most beads are now made by machine, but what kind of machine is used depends on the material being used to form the beads.

How to sell your bead crafts

Saturday, September 22nd, 2007

Have you been making bead crafts as a hobby, but are now starting to think that you would enjoy selling them? If so there is good news, you can actually sell your bead crafts to the general public and make a pretty good profit. More and more people who enjoy making crafts from beads, fabric, paper, etc are starting to sell their projects to the general public and they are finding that there is a demand for it. By following a few simple tips you can get started selling your bead crafts, which might eventually lead you to start your own business doing something that you love. One of the best ways to sell your bead crafts is through word of mouth advertising, if you plan on selling your bead crafts be sure to inform all of your friends and neighbors so they can tell everybody they know.

Here are some tips on how to sell your bead crafts.

Tip one:
A really great way to sell your bead crafts is to participate in craft shows, boutiques, and fairs. If you can’t afford the rent in a boutique in the beginning a great way to get started is to begin having "craft boutiques" from your own home. You can do most of the advertising yourself by posting fliers around the neighborhood letting people know when and where your boutique will be. Keep in mind that you might want to make up some type of business card so that people will know about your business and what you have to offer. When you are selling from your home, at a boutique or at craft shows you want to be sure to arrange your products in a way that will catch people’s eye and will cause them to come over to look. Before displaying your bead craft items you should learn more about displaying so that you can be sure that you display your products correctly.

Tip two:
Another great tip is to start a website that allows people to order your products online. If you have created business cards to hand out at any craft boutiques or shows that you are involved in make sure that you include your website, this can help increase the amount of sales you can get overall. Like your boutique you want to make sure that you arrange your website so that your products are displayed correctly.

Tip three:
Another idea is that you can make a business stand on the corners of certain streets; you want to make sure that you follow the proper steps in order to sell your beads from the street corner. You also want to choose a pretty busy intersection so that you can increase your foot and car traffic.

Tip four:
Another thing that you can do is to approach a consignment store. These stores will allow you to place your bead crafts on display at their store and they will sell them for you, but you will only receive a certain percentage of the sales. This is done in lieu of you paying rent and is perfect for people who are looking to sell bead crafts for some extra income.

Tip five:
Another way to sell your bead crafts is to publish a notice in a newspaper, local or county wide, that you are selling these types of craft items. You can also post fliers on bulletin boards in grocery stores or community centers.

The main thing is there are numerous ways that you can sell your bead crafts, the only limitations are in some cases you might need to obtain a business license. If you are serious about selling your bead crafts you should look into obtaining a business license, just so that you have more ways to sell your products.

 

How to find a wholesaler for beads

Saturday, September 15th, 2007

If you are involved in a crafting business or are thinking about starting a crafting business chances are you already know a little bit about wholesalers and what they do. But if you don’t know what a wholesaler is here is a brief explanation. A wholesaler is a company or person that sells materials to other businesses at a discounted price. Many times wholesalers do not sell items in small quantities; they most often sell their materials in bulk. It is because they sell the materials in bulk that you get a better price on the items than you would have to buy them individually. Wholesalers generally only sell to people who have a valid business license and in order to work with a wholesaler you usually need to provide a copy of your business license or at least provide them with some type of proof that you are running a business. By going through a wholesaler you can also sometimes get your materials tax free, depending on what type of business you are and what the wholesaler has to offer, but remember that even if you don’t pay tax on the items now you will still have to pay that tax at a later date.

Here are some tips on how to find a wholesaler for beads.

Tip one:
One of the most important things that you need to know about finding a wholesaler for beads is that in order to purchase from a wholesaler you are going to need a business license. If you don’t have a business license chances are you are not going to be able to purchase beads from a wholesaler at the better prices.

Tip two:
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing a wholesaler is to make sure that they wholesaler can provide you with everything that you need as soon as you need it. If you go to the wholesaler you are expecting to be able to get certain things and if they are constantly out of an item you need and don’t make arrangements to get it for you, then you are going to have problems pleasing your customers.

Tip three:
Another thing that you should do when looking for a wholesaler is to avoid any e-books and drop shippers lists that claim to hook you up with the best wholesalers. Chances are these companies are either out of business or are actually third parties selling supplies that they claim are wholesale prices but are quite a bit higher.

Tip four:
When looking for a wholesaler you are going to want to do some research on the company to be sure that they are actually wholesalers. By using business resources such as a small business association or something similar you can find reputable wholesalers. You can also use wholesale directories that will led you to reputable wholesalers.

Tip five:
You can also check with local crafters to see what wholesalers they use or talk to people at your local craft store to find out about any wholesalers that they know about.

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a wholesaler is to do plenty of research and try to see the place in person. By actually being able to go to the warehouse you are going to get a better feel for the people you will be dealing with and their inventory. If they are out of a lot of items when you go and visit chances are they aren’t going to have what you need when you want it.

How to choose beads for jewelry

Saturday, September 8th, 2007

Now that you have decided to make jewelry out of beads you are going to encounter the problem of picking the right kind of beads to use. The reason why this can be so hard is that there are so many different types of beads available. One of the best things to remember when you are picking out beads for jewelry is that you are going to want to make sure you pick the right kind of bead for the project you are working on. Like beads there are a lot of different types of jewelry and what you use for your jewelry will depend largely on what you are going to be making.

After you have figured out what you are going to make and what kind of beads you are going to use you are going to want to take a close look at the beads you are using. When looking at the beads you are going to want to make sure that there are no defects in the beads. If there are any kinds of flaws in the beads you are going to want to discard that bead. You can either throw it in the trash or you can save it for something else, such as crafts or art.  Another thing you want to consider when choosing beads for jewelry is the materials that are the color combinations you are going to be using. If you are going to be using a variety of colors you are going to want to make sure that all of the colors are the same. One way to make sure that the colors are the same shades is to buy your beads from the same manufacturing; this will also help ensure the quality of your beads. Using beads from different manufactures usually means that the shade of color you are using is not going to match exactly to another because of the different processes involved in making the beads.

Here are some tips to help you choose the right beads for making jewelry.

Tip one:
If you are going to be making earrings you are gong to want to choose either glass or plastic beads. You are going to want to stick with smaller sized beads, but this doesn’t mean you can’t use larger beads, you just don’t want to use the largest beads there are. If you are using different sized beads you should stack the beads with the largest on the bottom and work your way up to the smallest.

Tip two:
If you are going to be making kids jewelry you are probably going to be using mostly plastic beads. Most of the plastic beads are referred to as seed beads. They come in a variety of different colors and sizes, but because they are made of plastic they have a higher chance of being flawed. If you are making it as a project with your child you can still use the flawed beads, but if you are making the jewelry to sell you don’t want to use flawed beads.

Tip three:
When making necklaces you want to be sure to use beads that complement each other. If you are using different sizes be sure that they work well together. One of the best things to do is to lay your beads out in the pattern you are going to use for the necklace to be sure that they work. Most necklaces are usually made out of glass beads or crystal beads.

Regardless of what you are making when it comes to choosing beads for jewelry you want to make sure you choose the best beads for your project. There are even special beads being sold called ethnic beads that are designed to make jewelry that is used for ceremonial purposes, such as tribal dances, rosaries, etc.

Where to buy beads for jewelry

Saturday, July 21st, 2007

To make bead jewelry you have to have beads. So, the question becomes, where do you get beads for jewelry? The answer really depends on what types of beads you want. But, let’s take a look at your options:

1. Craft stores: Most craft stores carry an impressive line of beads for making jewelry. In fact, you can find many different varieties of beads at your local craft store, from seed beads, to glass beads, to plastic, to crystal. You may have trouble selecting beads because of the sheer variety of choices some craft stores offer. The following are two common craft stores that generally carry a wide variety of beads for making jewelry, and this variety is not just in shape and color, but also brand.

 Robert’s Craft- they offer local items, nationwide brands, and competitive prices. They also have a weekly coupon for a percentage off any purchase, which means that you can get the beads you want for making jewelry at a better price.

 Michael’s Craft- while more famous for their inexpensive custom framing, and wedding supplies, Michael’s Craft also offers a wide variety of beads for making jewelry.

2. Online: If you want lots of variety in type, size, style, color, and brand of beads for making jewelry, and you do not want to go too far from home to get it, your best bet is to check out the Internet. You can online shop for beads for jewelry by typing “Beads for jewelry” into a search engine. This will bring up hundreds, even thousands of sites that sell beads that you can use to make jewelry. Just be careful when purchasing online that you use a secure site, that you use a legitimate company, and that there is a satisfaction guarantee. You would not want to have your credit card number sold, or stolen. So, make sure these are sites that are well known and used regularly. The following are a few examples:

Gembeads.com
Obviously this is a site for purchasing gem beads. However, they do also offer some other types of beads, but gemstones are their specialty. They claim high quality and authenticity, and many people have been satisfied with their great customer service, competitive pricing, and fast shipping. Not to mention, they offer a rather extensive collection or selection of hard-to-find and rare gemstone beads. These are beautiful beads for the higher end jewelry making.

Artbeads.com
This is another popular choice for online bead purchasing. This particular site offers a wide selection of beads to choose from, and offers beads of all types. Another great feature of this site is that they offer free shipping and no minimum order. This is great for you as a customer because it means you can order just a few items upfront to make sure you are comfortable with their quality and service before spending more money. Another great feature of this online store is that they have a learning center and a bunch of design ideas to help you out so that you are inspired to make, and know how to make beautiful bead jewelry.

3. Malls: If all else fails, you can usually find at least one store at the mall that sells beads for jewelry. Of course, this is a specialty shop, and their prices will likely be much higher than those of a craft store or online stores, but you may be lucky and find a mall jewelry store with great selection, from plastic to Swarovski crystal beads etc. at a competitive price.

What are swarovski beads, and when do you use them?

Saturday, July 14th, 2007

There are many different beads out there, one type being Swarovski crystal. So, what are Swarovski crystal beads?

Swarovski is not a material type, it is not a variety of crystal. No, Swarovski, instead of being a material is the luxury brand name for the range of precision-cut lead crystal glass beads produced by the companies owned by Swarovski AG of Feldmeilen, (which is close to Zürich) Switzerland. So, in order to answer the question, what are Swarovski crystal beads? I would have to say, simply what they say—crystal beads. However, these are very popular beads because Swarovski makes the highest-quality crystal beads on the market. That along with their beauty and the great selection makes Swarovski beads the most in-demand crystal beads on the market today. So, Swarovski crystal beads aren’t just crystal beads, they are THE crystal beads.

When do you use Swarovski crystal beads?

Swarovski crystal beads are often used to make jewelry, but that is not what their use is limited to. In fact, you can use Swarovski crystal beads to make any number of exquisite and unique items. Because they are available in a wide array of colors, sizes and shapes, the possibilities are endless. And because these exquisite crystal beads offer an easy way to create magnificent jewelry pieces and add an elegant touch to dresses, headpieces, costumes and decorative items, they are used worldwide. So, when do you use them? Whenever you want to make something magnificent, or add beauty, this can be any luxury item, you can embellish dresses, hand bags, or even hair pieces. However, as previously stated, the most common, and popular use for Swarovski crystals is in making top of the line bead jewelry.

So, where did Swarovski crystal beads start, and why are they so popular today?

Daniel Swarovski is the person who began this beautiful line of crystal beads. He invented an automatic cutting machine in 1892. Then in 1895 the Swarovski company was founded. Daniel established a crystal cutting factory in Wattens because in that location he could take advantage of local hydroelectricity. This energy was needed for the energy-intensive grinding processes he had patented. It grew from there, and today, Swarovski is the leader in crystal products, and has several affiliate companies located all over Switzerland.

So what makes Swarovski crystal so beautiful?

Swarovski crystal contains approximately 32% lead to maximize refraction, this is much higher than other crystals. Also, in order to create a crystal that allows light to refract in a rainbow spectrum, Swarovski came up with the process of coating some of the crystals with special metallic chemical coatings. There are a number of different types of coatings that could be applied, and they all warrant different results, so it is a fun and unique way to manipulate the way the light refracts in order to create an eye catching and stunning crystal.

If you know anything about crystal beads, or crystals in general, you will love Swarovski crystals. Discriminating crystal lovers value Swarovski crystal. Why? Because they offer incomparable crystal purity the quality. So, to sum it up, Swarovski crystal beads are high quality components used for making stunning and unique jewelry, and the style and quality they offer is beyond compare.

Whatever Swarovski crystal beads you choose, when you use them to create a unique and beautiful piece of jewelry, you will be glad you used the best.