Swarovski® Crystal Meticulously crafted in Austria to the highest standards of quality, Swarovski® crystal sets the standard. Swarovski® crystal is machine-cut, providing flawless consistency, and the rich color and captivating sparkle make any design unforgettable. Swarovski® crystal components are regarded as the highest quality machine cut and polished crystal beads in the world. The Swarovski® company creates its glass with a special compound that imitators cannot duplicate. This special compound creates the incredible brilliance of their product. The delicate color palette is another quality that sets Swarovski® crystal components apart from others. Swarovski® crystals are perfectly uniform. Since they are machine cut, each crystal is the same. This means that the height, width and slope are consistent. Swarovski® uses machinery that precisely cuts each crystal. According to Swarovski®, "cutting hard materials such as crystal and gems, in such a way that they have a hundred identical facets in several directions, is a very complicated task; each direction of the reflected light must first be calculated by computer, then this has to be simulated in 3D, optimized and finally converted into control programs for complex machinery." This is just part of the technology that gives Swarovski® crystals their unbelievable flash. Because of its special glass compounds, Swarovski® crystal will out-sparkle a bead of lesser quality when placed in a side-by-side comparison.

Swarovski® Crystal Pearls
The glowing, natural-looking pearl coating is resistant to scratches, sun fading, perfumes, and perspiration -- it will not peel like the coating on glass pearls! Beside, unlike other, glass based, faux pearls, these have genuine Austrian Swarovski Crystal as the center core.

Lampwork Beads Lampwork is an ancient technique of using a flame to melt glass. Lampworking involves the process of melting glass in a hot flame on a steel mandrel. The molten glass is wound around the mandrel until the desired size and style are achieved. The flame used to melt the glass is produced by mixing gas, either natural or propane, and oxygen. Thus the flame produced is hot enough to melt glass. A torch is the primary tool for the flame. Once a bead is formed and the artist is finished with the actual creation process there are several more steps involved before the bead is ready to be used in fine jewelry. The bead is then placed in a kiln to start the annealing process. Annealing is the process of bringing down the temperature of the glass very slowly. Annealing makes a glass bead very strong and durable. When a bead is taken out of the kiln it is still on the steel mandrel. The cooled bead is soaked in water to soften the bead release agent. Once the bead is removed the holes are cleaned and filed. Artist made “Lampwork” glass beads are one-of-a-kind, and should be considered art work that is wearable. No two lampwork beads are identical.

Bali Silver Bali Silver beads are one of the most popular kinds of beads today. They are made of sterling silver and are handcrafted in Bali of .925 sterling silver and are exceptional in detail and quality. Because these items are individually crafted from sterling silver by numerous bead artisans, there may be slight variations in bead size, form, hole size, and oxidation.

Hill Tribe Silver
Thai beads and pendants are made by the Karen Hill Tribe in northern Thailand using traditional tribal methods passed down from generation to generation. Purchasing these Thai beads helps sustain a traditional craft and provides the Karen people with a reliable source of income. The silver content in our Hill Tribes silver beads and pendants is typically 95-99%, even higher than sterling (92.5%). This higher silver content is softer and therefore easier to shape into all the unique and wonderful styles. On close inspection you will notice that no two pieces are exactly alike, attesting to the handmade nature of these beautiful pieces

Cloisonné Beads Created by skilled artisans, each cloisonné bead can take up to four hours to produce. Dozens of tiny cells are arranged on the bead's surface, filled with enamel color, and fired. Then each bead is polished, revealing intricate and beautiful designs.