Today, Heishi beads (also spelled Heishe) are known to be a disc or tube-shaped bead with a hole through the middle for use in jewelry, but they haven’t always been exactly that. The name originates from the Keras language of the...
LOVE STONES | Dakota Stones BLOG Love doesn’t need to be just about romance or family, it can be associated in the way we feel towards strangers, humanity as a whole, or even ourselves. Cultivating a sense of love allows...
Why Hubei Turquoise Matters When people think of Turquoise, the conversation often centers on the American Southwest or Iran. Chinese Turquoise—particularly material from Hubei Province—receives far less attention, despite being one of the most historically significant and productive Turquoise regions...
Pearls have a reputation for being classic and refined. But for jewelry makers, pearls are also wonderfully practical materials. They can be drilled, dyed, strung, knotted, paired with bold gemstones, or used as subtle texture in modern designs. Understanding how...
Plated Gemstones: Beauty Enhanced Gemstones are striking on their own, oftentimes their color and shine are generally perfect just the way they are. Depending on the stone, people are shocked at how bold and saturated colors can be even right...
The Big Three / Cardinal Gemstones Spotlight on Ruby Rubies are one of the rarest and most expensive gems in the world and they are sometimes called the “Gem King." It is also one of the four Cardinal Gems, including...
Pearls have captivated humans for centuries! Unlike other gemstones that are mined from the earth, pearls are born from the sea, giving them a unique place in the gemstone world. Their organic elegance makes them one of the most sought-after...
Stones have played a role in the unseen battle between light and dark for centuries. Across cultures and across time, people have believed that certain stones possess unique energies capable of repelling malevolent spirits, protecting the soul, and restoring spiritual...
At Dakota Stones, we love when form meets function — and that’s exactly what large hole gemstone beads bring to the jewelry-making table. These beads aren’t just bigger versions of our standard strands. Their expanded drill holes open up whole...
