How to Choose the Right Gemstone Beads for Your Jewellery Project

With so many beautiful natural gemstone beads available, choosing the right ones for your jewellery project can feel overwhelming. Whether you're making a bracelet, necklace, or earrings, this guide will help you understand bead types, quality grades, and sizing so you can shop with confidence.

Understanding Gemstone Bead Grades

At Only Natural Stones, our beads are graded by quality. Here's what the grades mean:

• AAA+ / AAA Grade – The highest quality. Excellent colour consistency, minimal inclusions, and a superior polish. Perfect for statement pieces. See our Black Onyx AAA+ and Fluorite AAA as examples.
• AA Grade – Very good quality with natural variation. Ideal for most jewellery projects and great value. Our Blue Aventurine AA, Red Aventurine AA, and Indian Agata AA are popular choices.
• A Grade – Good quality with more natural character and variation. Great for rustic or boho-style designs. Try our Mookaite Jasper A Grade.

Choosing the Right Bead Size

Bead size is measured in millimetres (mm) and refers to the diameter of the bead. Here's a quick guide:

• 4mm – Delicate and dainty. Great for layering necklaces or adding spacers.
• 6mm – The most versatile size. Works beautifully for bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.
• 8mm – A bold, classic size. Ideal for statement bracelets and chunky necklaces.
• 10mm+ – Eye-catching and dramatic. Best used as focal beads or in minimal designs.

As a beginner, we recommend starting with 6mm or 8mm round beads — they're easy to handle and thread.

Choosing Beads by Stone Type

Different gemstones have different properties, aesthetics, and meanings. Here are some popular choices for jewellery making:

• Black Onyx – Sleek and sophisticated. Pairs well with silver findings. Shop our Black Onyx AAA+ beads.
• Blue Aventurine – A calming blue-grey stone with a subtle shimmer. Lovely for everyday wear. Shop Blue Aventurine AA beads.
• Fluorite – Comes in stunning purple, green, and rainbow hues. Each bead is unique. Shop Fluorite AAA beads.
• Mookaite Jasper – Warm earthy tones of red, yellow, and cream. Perfect for boho designs. Shop Mookaite Jasper beads.
• Amazonite – A beautiful teal-green stone with a soothing energy. Shop Amazonite AAA beads.
• Dalmatian Jasper – White with dark spots — fun, playful, and great for children's jewellery. Shop Dalmatian Jasper beads.

How Many Beads Do You Need?

Our beads are sold by the strand (typically 15–15.5 inches). Here's a rough guide to how many beads you'll get per strand and what you can make:

• 6mm beads: ~60–65 beads per strand — enough for 3–4 bracelets or one necklace.
• 8mm beads: ~46–50 beads per strand — enough for 2 bracelets or a short necklace.
• 10mm beads: ~37–40 beads per strand — enough for 1–2 bracelets.

What Thread Should You Use?

For most gemstone bead jewellery, we recommend our Natural Silk Thread 0.6mm with Needle. Silk is the traditional choice for gemstone beading — it's strong, has a beautiful drape, and is gentle on the beads. It's also the preferred thread for knotting between beads on necklaces.

Start Exploring

Now that you know what to look for, browse our full collection of natural gemstone beads and find the perfect stones for your next project. All our beads are ethically sourced and carefully graded for quality. Happy creating!