Beading Techniques & How To's
Just how many beads are there on a 16 inch strand?
What's the difference between gold plated, gold filled, and gold vermeil?
What exactly is sterling silver, and how do I care for it?
What should I know about your sterling silver wire?
I want to know more about your semi-precious stones.
HOW MANY BEADS ARE THERE ON A 16" STRAND?
Though the number of beads on a 16" strand may vary slightly, depending
on such factors as the shape of the bead, the following chart will give you the best
approximation:
2mm 203
3mm 126
4mm 100
5mm 80
6mm 67
7mm 56
8mm 50
10mm 40
12mm 34
14mm 29
16mm 25
18mm 23
20mm 20
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT GOLD
GOLD PLATED:
Something that is gold plated is an alloy with an extremely thin layer of gold –
at least 10K - adhering to its surface, usually through a process called electroplating.
Because this outer coating is so delicate, the gold will eventually rub off due to
simple wear and oxidizing chemicals it is bound to come in contact with.
GOLD FILLED
The term “gold filled” means that a layer of karat gold has been fused onto a
core of an alloy. It has a greater gold content than electroplated gold, and is virtually
indistinguishable from solid gold. With proper care – not wearing gold filled jewelry
in a swimming pool, keeping it away from household cleaning chemicals, and polishing
it using a soft cloth and detergent-free soap – gold filled jewelry can easily last a
lifetime.
GOLD VERMEIL
Gold vermeil, (pronounced Ver-May,) is an item that has been gold plated
over sterling silver. The gold vermeil beads and components sold at Brightlings
Beads is 22K gold over sterling silver.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT STERLING SILVER
Sterling silver is an alloy that is at least 92.5 percent silver, and 7.5 percent
consists of another metal – usually copper. Silver itself is a soft metal, and
the added alloys in sterling silver will give the object strength and durability,
and with proper care the piece can last a lifetime. But, since sterling silver does
tarnish, proper care is very important. Not only should sterling silver never be
worn in the swimming pool – chlorine and other chemicals will hasten the tarnishing –
but also minerals in lakes, the ocean, and even your shower can cause sterling silver
to tarnish. In fact, sometimes even skin oils can tarnish sterling silver.
There are many different brands of silver cleaner on the market, but many
people find a mixture of baking soda and warm water will do the trick. Also, never
use any kind of bristles to remove tarnish from your sterling silver jewelry, as they
could cause scratching. A soft all-cotton or flannel rag is all you should use.
When it comes to storing your sterling silver jewelry, do not lay it on bare wood, for
the oils will increase the rate of tarnishing. Also, do not store your sterling silver
next to other metals, or anything rubber. A small stick of chalkboard chalk next
to your sterling silver pieces will help absorb impurities in the air, keeping your
sterling silver tarnish-free for longer periods of time.
It’s important to mention here that sulfur is one of the worst enemies of sterling silver.
Sulfur can be found just about anywhere, it’s an airborne pollutant, present in natural gas,
and can even be found in the oils secreted from the skin. When sulfur adheres to
the surface of sterling silver, silver sulfide is created – and that is the black substance
that is most often referred to as tarnish. Though it is nearly impossible to give a blanket
answer as to where the sulfur is coming from that is tarnishing your silver, as
mentioned above, it is best to store sterling silver in an air-tight container.
STERLING SILVER WIRE
Sterling silver wire is one of the most fashionable choices for up to date jewelry
designs. Our sterling silver wire is available in one-ounce spools and is composed of
92.5 percent silver. It comes in both half-hard and dead soft, and in gauges 18 to 30.
The gauge number of sterling silver wire is inversely proportional to the thickness,
meaning that an 18 gauge wire is thicker than a 30 gauge wire. And because
our sterling silver wire is sold by weight, a higher-gauge wire will also have a greater
length. (see chart below)
Half-hard sterling silver wire
In all most all of your beading projects, half-hard sterling silver wire would be an
appropriate, and striking, choice. Though it is flexible enough to be easy to work with,
it is firm enough to maintain even complex shapes. It is excellent for wrapping, and
for designs which use beads that have no holes.
Dead soft sterling silver wire
Our dead soft sterling silver wire is extremely supple and easy to work with. Because
it is so workable, however, it does not hold its shape well for higher-stress circumstances
(like clasps and hooks, for example.) But it is perfect for the creative bead enthusiast
whose imagination and skill combine to work the wire in exceptionally intricate ways.
GAUGE THICKNESS LENGTH (PER ONE OUNCE-SPOOL)
18 .040" 12’
20 .032" 19’
22 .025" 30.4’
24 .020" 48’
26 .016" 76’
28 .013" 111’
30 .010" 180’
GLOSSARY OF SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES
AMBER: Amber is tree resin that over time, and through the process of heat
and pressure,has fossilized. For it to be called amber, the resin must be several million
years old. Amber can vary in color from yellow, to red, to even green and blue.
Though the transparent amber is considered the best commercial amber, some
varieties are cloudy.
AMETHYST: Amethyst is a variety of quartz whose color varies from violet to purple,
and is the most highly valued of the semiprecious quartzes. According to various pieces
of folklore, it can be used as a love charm, a very powerful talisman for improving sleep,
and as protection against thieves and drunkenness. Actually the name Amethyst
comes from Greek meaning non-drunkenness.
AFRICAN TURQUOISE: It’s the exciting blend of base color and the dark material
that the minerals are embedded in that this stone, which is actually a jasper, is
given the name “African Turquoise.” It is an excellent turquoise substitute and is
perfect when going for the look and texture of turquoise, but with a slightly greener
tone.
AVENTURINE: This gem is a form of quartz which stands apart because of its
transparency and the occurrence of platy minerals that give a striking glistening effect.
This effect is called aventurescence. Aventurine can be a variety of colors, but the
most desirable is green.
BLUE LACE AGATE: This form of quartz, which has an attractive soft, milky
sheen, is believed by some to have the powers to help one express themselves
if worn around the neck.
BLUE GOLDSTONE: Blue Goldstone is an aventurine speckled with minute
gold-colored sparkles. Stories attribute the discovery of goldstone to an Italian
monastic order, which responsible for it’s alternative name, “monk’s gold,” or
“monkstone.”
CARNELIAN: Having a waxy luster, Carnelian is a cryptocrystalline form of
quartz. It may be translucent, and though it is most often white to gray, grayish-blue,
or same shade of brown. Though on occasion it is nearly black. It does appear in a
variety of other colors, however.
CITRINE: This is an amber-colored gemstone that is sometimes called Citrine Quartz
or Citrine Topaz. It is a form of quartz with ferric iron impurities. According to some,
this stone can help relieve any ailments brought on by nervousness or anxiety.
It has been stated that leaving it near the head at night can dispel any unpleasant
dreams.
CHALCEDONY: May be semi-transparent to translucent, and is one of the few minerals
other than quartz to be found in geodes. Some spiritualists believe that it is an excellent
stone to aid and improve one’s character.
CHERRY QUARTZ: This is a dyed quartz that has been heat-treated so that it will retain
it’s rich, deep color.
DALMATINE: An attractively speckled stone, Dalmatine, or “Dalmatian Rock,” consists of
extraordinarily curious brown and black minerals embedded in a cream-colored matrix.
DENIM LAPIS: Usually speckled with yellow iron pyrites, Denim Lapis is a soothing, soft blue.
In the past, it was often made into vases and bowls, and has been used for thousands of years
for beads and small ornaments – and actually was known as the “sapphire of the ancients,”
because of its use in mosaics. Tenderness, sympathy, are the attributes it supposedly represents.
FOSSIL JASPER: A gray semi-precious stone with a myriad of various colored fossils
embedded within it, creating a variety of shapes and patterns. It is sometimes called
“Turitella Agate.”
GARNET: The birthstone for January, Garnet has been used since the Bronze Age.
Its name comes from the Latin for “grain,” and this is possibly because the seeds of the plant
pomegranate has red seeds which are similar in size, shape and color to some garnet
crystals.
GOLDSTONE: The illusion of reddish-brown color in these lustrous actually comes
from copper crystals in the matrix itself. It is believed to have properties that ward off
stress.
LOLITE: A mineral often used as a cut gem-stone, and named from the violet color
which it sometimes presents. While the crystal as a whole shows one color, each face
may appear to change color slightly as it is viewed from different angles, giving this stone
a very distinctive quality.
HEMATITE: This highly lustrous rock is present as silvery-gray plate like masses in
some rocks. Mineral and crystal healers associate Hematite with blood, and therefore
use it as remedy for a variety of blood-related maladies.
MOONSTONE: A variety of feldspar, Moonstone has a bluish-white opalescence, and
hence comes it’s value as an ornamental stone. Though usually ranging from white to
soft blue, Moonstone can show itself in a variety of colors.
MOTHER OF PEARL: This antique white substance forms on the lining of shells in
some fresh-water and salt-water mollusks. Like pearl, it is a secretion of the mantle.
OLIVE JADE: Actually, this stone is serpentine, not jade, with colors that range from
a light avocado color to deep, olive green. Most serpentine is often mistakenly named jade.
ONYX: A variety of cryptocrystalline quartz, Onyx differs from agate only in that the bands
of which is composed are parallel and regular. The deep, even, rich color of Black Onyx
has given it the reputation of helping one become more steadfast and determined,
according to some folklore.
PERIDOT: One of the few gemstones that comes in only one color, though the richness of
that color does vary. Sometimes called the “poor man’s emerald,” the depth of green depends
on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure. Being a green stone, Peridot is
believed to bring good luck.
POPPY JASPER: Most probably formed in sun-dried, iron-rich clay, Poppy Jasper takes the
shape of a sphere, and contains variously colored dots which give it a similar appearance to the
poppy flower.
RED AVENTURINE: A form of quartz which is set apart by the presence of platy mineral occlusions.
These elements give Aventurine a shimmering or glistening effect which is called “aventurescence.”
RHODONITE: A translucent, and sometimes – but rarely – transparent crystal can have a
luster anywhere from glasslike to pearly to dull. It is an extremely attractive mineral named after
“rhodon,” the Greek word for rose. It’s distinctive colors range from pink to deep red and orange.
ROSE QUARTZ: The color is caused by iron and titanium impurities, and these elements give
Rose Quartz one of the most desirable varieties of the crystal. The pink to rose color is completely
unique, unlike any other pink mineral species. It is believed to be ideal in helping with affairs of
the heart.
RUSSIAN JADE: Though to be a virtue stone, this leek green variety of the mineral is known as
Russian Jade.
SKY BLUE QUARTZ: This quartz contains millions of tiny minerals per square centimeter. When
light enters the crystal, it is scattered by these microscopic particles, reflecting back a pronounced,
beautiful blue color.
SODALITE: Sometimes called Princess Blue, Sodalite did not become significantly used in
ornamentation until 1891. It is a rich royal blue mineral that is opaque, but in rare occasions is
transparent.
TIGER EYE: A member of the quartz group, it displays a changeable, glossy luster as light is
reflected in its fibrous bands. It is a durable composite, obviously named for the fact that it resembles
the large feline’s eye, it is the accepted gem for the ninth wedding anniversary.
TOURMALITE: Meaning “the stone of mixed colors,” it is a gemstone which displays many
unique shades. They myriad of colors also tend to appear differently when moved from sunlight to
artificial light, as does the luster. These qualities make this gem particularly unique and cherished.
TREE AGATE: A translucent, cryptocrystalline variety of quartz, this gemstone with a creamy
luster is also known as “Dendritic Agate.” It’s color ranges from white to deep green and there are those
who refer to it as the “stone of plentitude,” as it is purported to bring abundance and fullness to life.
TURQUOISE: Varying in color from a grayish-green hue to sky blue, Turquoise is an opaque stone
with a waxy luster. The properties associated with it in folklore vary immensely, making Turquoise a
very important stone in many spiritual beliefs. Though raw Turquoise has the propensity to change
color over time, losing the beautiful blue tone and turning a less-attractive green, Brightlings Beads
Turquoise has been sealed, preventing impurities to enter the pores of the stone and changing its
color.
TURQUOISE HOWLITE: Howlite is a mineral which has gained most of its fame by imitating other
minerals. In this case, obviously, that other mineral is Turquoise. The similarities are so striking,
that some unscrupulous dealers have successfully passed off the less-expensive stone as its more-
expensive look-alike.
WHITE HOWLITE: The white version of Howlite has a dull to porcelaneous luster, giving it a very
earthy look. It is most often opaque, but sometimes is slightly translucent
