We do our best to be transparent about our products. If you ever find a product that is not in alignment with the statements below, please let us know so that we can address the issue and update the listing to ensure proper details.
Strand Length (gemstone beads are sold by the strand)
- Strands are approximately 15 inches unless stated otherwise in the product description.
- 'Large Hole Beads' are typically sold in 1/2 strands of 7.5 - 8 inches.
- All product listings state the strand lengths, be sure to check the product description prior to adding the item to your cart.
Gemstone Bead Hole Sizes
- 2mm to 4mm beads have 0.3mm to 0.6mm holes
- 4mm to 8mm beads have 0.6mm to 1.0mm holes
- 10mm beads have holes 1.0mm and larger
** 'Large Hole Beads' have holes 2mm and larger.
** Pearls have 0.3mm to 0.5mm holes.
Beads hole sizes that differ from those listed above will be clearly labeled in the start of the product description.
Count of round beads per 15.5 inch strand
Values take into account bead size variability of +/- 0.3mm
- 2mm - 171 to 232 beads/strand
- 4mm - 85 to 102 beads/strand
- 6mm - 58 to 68 beads/strand
- 8mm - 45 to 51 beads/strand
- 10mm - 37 to 40 beads/strand
- 12mm - 31 to 33 beads/strand
- 14mm - 27 to 29 beads/strand
- 16mm - 24 to 26 beads/strand
A note about how we measure bead sizes
We understand that when making jewelry, you need all of your bead sizes to match closely enough that any size differences are barely noticeable. It may seem that we carry several odd sizes, but in reality, our bead sizes are similar to that of the rest of the industry. We are just more precise about our measurements.
- Standard industry practice is to round down to the nearest 1mm, leaving much room for error. An example would be 8.8mm and 8.2mm beads, all labeled as 8mm. This magnitude of size difference can be very noticeable and will not work well in your jewelry.
- At Tejas Beads, we round down to the nearest 0.5mm to help close the gap on bead size differences. This is why you might see sizes like 4.5mm, 6.5mm, and 8.5mm instead of just the standard 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm.
Color variability in photos, monitors, and display settings
- We do our best to ensure that photographs are as accurate as possible. We have found that on different computer screens colors can vary, especially in the more lustrous, deep, and brightly colored stones. This is just one of the challenges of online shopping. But rest assured, our return policy allows some time for returns if it is not what you were expecting. Please see our Returns page for details.
Findings
- When findings count is shown as 'approx.' it means that they are measured by weight. The quantity stated will be close, but it may not be exact. We slightly over-weigh our findings to ensure that the stated number is a minimum. Larger findings with lower quantities are counted.
Abbreviations
To help increase gemstone material transparency, the following abbreviations have been added to the product titles where applicable.
- syn - Synthetic or man-made stone.
- dZi - Tibetan word to describe decoratively patterned stones. These are natural stones with dyes, engravings, and/or surficial alterations to enhance appearance.
- alt - Natural stones that have been altered with dyes or coatings.
Gemstone Quality Grading
With so many different types of gemstones, grading is extremely subjective, and designations of A, AA, and AAA have become grossly overused in the industry. At Tejas Beads we are extremely conservative with our grading, and you'll find that many of our non-graded stones would be labeled in the A, AA, or even AAA range by many of our competitors.
We are conservative with our grading for a few reasons:
1) To uphold the integrity of the grading system.
2) To maintain an honest portrayal of product quality.
3) To better manage expectations.
We'd rather have you be pleasantly surprised to receive higher than expected quality items, than to make the sale based off of overly optimistic grading and have a disappointed customer when the items arrive.
We do our best to QC every batch and update photos when quality changes. Gemstones that don't meet our quality standards are added to our clearance section with honest descriptions about defects, irregularities, and material quality issues.