Home / Beads / Beader's Glossary

This is the place to find out what a Peridot or a Labradorite is. There are over 80 bead-related terms for you to browse.

Note: Some of the definitions and descriptions used here are copyright 1995 by Ornamental Resources, Incorporated. We are grateful for their permission to quote from their catalog to create this feature. This information may not be reproduced or distributed for financial gain or included in commercial collections or compilations without express permission from Ornamental Resources, Inc., P.O. Box 3010WW, Idaho Springs CO 80452. Visitors are permitted to print out this section for personal use only.

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The bone beads are batik. The word batik is of Javanese origin and means to mark with spots in drawing, painting or writing. The term was first recorded in the 17th century and referred to a shipload of decorated fabric. Batiking now denotes a process by which part of an item is covered by a substance, usually wax, to retain its original color while being dyed another color.

Large, semi-precious stone beads (usually agate, quartz, etc.)

Unplated, unlacquered raw metal. Formulas with varying proportions of copper and zinc are alloyed together to achieve different brass colors and different ductility (workability) of metal.

Thin tubular shaped glass beads manufactured in lengths from 2 millimeters to 35 millimeters.