16-Inch Gemstones
The 16-inch strand is the industry standard—and no one stocks more of them than Dakota Stones. Browse more than 200 stone types across every color and pattern, from everyday staples like Amethyst and Jasper to collector favorites such as Red Garnet and rare Turquoise mine-runs. Because the strands measure a full 15 – 16 inches, you get enough beads for matching earring pairs, stretch bracelets, or a necklace focal and still have extras for accents.
Need to drill down fast? Use the filter bar to sort by Stone Type when you know the gem you want, or by Color when you’re building a palette first. Shapes range from classic rounds and rondelles to cubes, heishi, chips, and rare designer cuts—each strand calibrated for even sizing and smooth stringing.
Whether you’re a hobbyist replenishing a bead board or a pro assembling a full production run, this category is the workhorse of our catalog: reliable lengths, vast variety, and new additions arriving every month. Dive in, filter your way to the perfect strand, and keep your design queue flowing with Dakota Stones’ biggest collection.
Products: 2264
Hematite Copper Plated 2mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
Hematite is an iron oxide and one of the few gemstones with a metallic luster. When tumbled it can have the look of polished steel. Hematite is bla...
View full detailsKyanite 2-3x3-4mm Faceted Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
Kyanite often occurs as long, bladed, striated crystals, transparent or translucent with a pearly luster. An aluminum silicate mineral, it may appe...
View full detailsGreen Tourmaline 4x5-7x9mm Graduated Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Green Tourmaline ranges in color from pale green to dark emerald to shades of olive and moss green. It is an aluminum borosilicate mixed with iron,...
View full detailsNatural Pink Ruby 2-3mm Faceted Rondelle - 13-14 Inch
Ruby is a precious gemstone known for its deep red color. It is a variety of the mineral corundum, the second-hardest mineral next to diamond . The...
View full detailsNatural Red Ruby 3-4mm Faceted Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
Ruby is a precious gemstone known for its deep red color. It is a variety of the mineral corundum, the second-hardest mineral next to diamond . The...
View full detailsBlue Lace Agate 4-6mm Irregular Cube A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Blue Lace Agate is a naturally occurring soft blue agate, laced with bands or swirls of brighter blue, periwinkle, white and occasionally gray or b...
View full detailsRose Quartz 10x13-14x17mm Faceted Tumble Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Rose Quartz is a silicon dioxide crystal and one of the most common varieties of the Quartz family. It is a translucent to transparent stone with a...
View full detailsDog Teeth Amethyst 9x11-10x14mm Tumble Nugget A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Dog Teeth Amethyst has a purple and white striped appearance due to its combination of Amethyst and White Quartz. The name derives from the recurri...
View full detailsKyanite 3-5x14-16mm Freeform Hexagon Wheel - 15-16 Inch
Kyanite often occurs as long, bladed, striated crystals, transparent or translucent with a pearly luster. An aluminum silicate mineral, it may appe...
View full detailsAfrican Turquoise 9x13-12x16mm Top Drill Irregular Flat Drop - 15-16 Inch
African Turquoise is not actually Turquoise, but rather a speckled teal Jasper found in Africa and often treated to simulate the beautiful blue to ...
View full detailsPink Tourmaline 6x12-10x20mm Free Form Dancing Drops A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Pink Tourmaline ranges in color from light pink to deep magenta, with inclusions of white to colorless translucent or transparent. Tourmaline occur...
View full detailsBlue Kyanite 6x12-10x20mm Free Form Pear A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Kyanite often occurs as long, bladed, striated crystals, transparent or translucent with a pearly luster. An aluminum silicate mineral, it may appe...
View full detailsBlue Lace Agate 6x12-10x20mm Free Form Dancing Drops A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Blue Lace Agate is a naturally occuring soft blue agate, laced with bands or swirls of brighter blue, periwinkle, white and occasionally gray or br...
View full detailsHematite Black Plated 2x6mm Hexagon - 15-16 Inch
Hematite is an iron oxide and one of the few gemstones with a metallic luster. When tumbled it can have the look of polished steel. Hematite is bla...
View full detailsHematite White Silver Plated 2x6mm Hexagon - 15-16 Inch
Hematite is an iron oxide and one of the few gemstones with a metallic luster. When tumbled it can have the look of polished steel. Hematite is bla...
View full detailsHematite Antique Brass Plated 2x6mm Hexagon - 15-16 Inch
Hematite is an iron oxide and one of the few gemstones with a metallic luster. When tumbled it can have the look of polished steel. Hematite is bla...
View full detailsHematite Light Gold Plated 2x6mm Hexagon - 15-16 Inch
Hematite is an iron oxide and one of the few gemstones with a metallic luster. When tumbled it can have the look of polished steel. Hematite is bla...
View full detailsHematite Antique Silver Plated 2x6mm Hexagon - 15-16 Inch
Hematite is an iron oxide and one of the few gemstones with a metallic luster. When tumbled it can have the look of polished steel. Hematite is bla...
View full detailsRose Quartz 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch
Rose Quartz is a silicon dioxide crystal and one of the most common varieties of the Quartz family. It is a translucent to transparent stone with a...
View full detailsDog Teeth Amethyst 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch
Dog Teeth Amethyst has a purple and white striped appearance due to its combination of Amethyst and White Quartz. The name derives from the recurri...
View full detailsAfrican Turquoise 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch
African Turquoise is not actually Turquoise, but rather a speckled teal Jasper found in Africa and often treated to simulate the beautiful blue to ...
View full detailsRose Quartz 12mm Faceted Heart - 15-16 Inch
Rose Quartz is a silicon dioxide crystal and one of the most common varieties of the Quartz family. It is a translucent to transparent stone with a...
View full detailsYellow Opal 6mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
Yellow Opal is transparent to opaque, milky white to pale yellow in color. It sometimes features dark brown to black dendritic inclusions that bran...
View full detailsMixed Moonstone 6mm Faceted Round Banded - 15-16 Inch
Moonstone naturally occurs in a broad spectrum of colors, but is most commonly associated with white, gray and peach. It's soft chatoyancy is remin...
View full detailsWhite Lace Red Jasper 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
White Lace Red Jasper is a deep red or burnt orange stone, complemented by white, gray, and black bands and flecks of color. Red Jasper has histori...
View full detailsWhite Lace Red Jasper 12mm Round - 15-16 Inch
White Lace Red Jasper is a deep red or burnt orange stone, complemented by white, gray, and black bands and flecks of color. Red Jasper has histori...
View full detailsWhite Lace Red Jasper 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
White Lace Red Jasper is a deep red or burnt orange stone, complemented by white, gray, and black bands and flecks of color. Red Jasper has histori...
View full detailsVerdite 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Verdite is a light to dark-green metamorphic rock, and is a variety of Fuchsite, which is itself a form of Muscovite. It appears green because of t...
View full detailsVerdite 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Verdite is a light to dark-green metamorphic rock, and is a variety of Fuchsite, which is itself a form of Muscovite. It appears green because of t...
View full detailsBlack Silver Leaf Jasper 12mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Black Silverleaf Jasper is a rare form of Jasper, characterized by its color range of black, gray and white and its swirling, leafy patterns. It is...
View full detailsAfrican Green Jasper 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
African Green Jasper is a single to colored opaque stone, ranging in color from a deep olive green to a pale spring green with brown banding or str...
View full detailsAfrican Green Jasper 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
African Green Jasper is a single to colored opaque stone, ranging in color from a deep olive green to a pale spring green with brown banding or str...
View full detailsAfrican Green Jasper 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
African Green Jasper is a single to colored opaque stone, ranging in color from a deep olive green to a pale spring green with brown banding or str...
View full detailsAfrican Petrified Wood Agate 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Petrified Wood Agate is formed from the petrifaction process of primeval trees over the course of many years. Petrification occurs when the wood is...
View full detailsAfrican Green Jasper 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
African Green Jasper is a single to colored opaque stone, ranging in color from a deep olive green to a pale spring green with brown banding or str...
View full detailsAfrican Petrified Wood Agate 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Petrified Wood Agate is formed from the petrifaction process of primeval trees over the course of many years. Petrification occurs when the wood is...
View full detailsRed Garnet 6mm Round AA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Red Garnet is the most commonly known type of Garnet, which occurs in many colors. Garnet has been used for adornment and spirituality by myriad cu...
View full detailsRed Garnet 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Red Garnet is the most commonly known type of Garnet, which occurs in many colors. Garnet has been used for adornment and spirituality by myriad cu...
View full detailsPink Tourmaline with Leopidolite 6mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Pink Tourmaline ranges in color from light pink to deep magenta, with inclusions of white to colorless translucent or transparent. Tourmaline occur...
View full detailsPink Tourmaline with Leopidolite 10mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Pink Tourmaline ranges in color from light pink to deep magenta, with inclusions of white to colorless translucent or transparent. Tourmaline occur...
View full detailsOrange Garnet 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Orange or Hessonite Garnet is sometimes called “Cinnamon Stone” for its orange to orange to brown color as well as for its origin in the land of sp...
View full detailsRed Malachite 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Malachite is a copper carbonate with a bright green color and dark green banding. Usually found near copper deposits, it is formed through the comb...
View full detailsRed Garnet 6mm Faceted Lantern - 15-16 Inch
Red Garnet is the most commonly known type of Garnet, which occurs in many colors. Garnet has been used for adornment and spirituality by myriad cu...
View full detailsLabradorite 6mm Faceted Lantern A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...
View full detailsAfrican Turquoise 6mm Faceted Lantern A Grade - 15-16 Inch
African Turquoise is not actually Turquoise, but rather a speckled teal Jasper found in Africa and often treated to simulate the beautiful blue to ...
View full detailsLabradorite 4mm Faceted Lantern A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...
View full detailsSardonyx 6mm Hexagon - 15-16 Inch
Sardonyx has a Sard base, typically of brown or black, with bands of white Onyx running through it. Sard is not Onyx, but rather a dark variety of ...
View full detailsKambaba Jasper 6mm Hexagon - 15-16 Inch
Kambaba Jasper is a sedimentary stone comprised of microcrystalline Quartz interlaced with Stromatolites — ancient fossilized colonies of primeval ...
View full detailsFrequently asked questions
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What is a 16-inch strand and why is it the trade standard?
A 16-inch strand is the working length most US jewelry designers buy for design-grade work — necklaces, multi-strand layouts, and bulk component sourcing. It gives enough beads to lay out a full 18–20 inch necklace with clasp and findings, or to cut down into shorter assemblies without running short. The 16-inch length has been the trade default for decades because it standardizes pricing and bead-count math across stones and cuts. Dakota's 16-inch hub covers the full catalog at this length, across rounds, rondelles, faceted cuts, cubes, coins, and shape work. The bracelet counterpart is the 8-inch strand. -
How many beads per 16-inch strand at common sizes?
Approximate bead counts per 16-inch strand assume snug-strung beads with no spacer drift. At 2mm you get roughly 200 beads, at 3mm about 135, at 4mm about 100, at 6mm about 66, at 8mm about 50, at 10mm about 40, and at 12mm about 33. Faceted cuts, rondelles, and irregular shapes (pebble, nugget, coin) vary — count is driven by the bead's drilled axis, not its widest dimension. Exact count should be disclosed; ask before buying if a piece-count is critical for your design and isn't specified. -
16-inch vs 8-inch — which length for which project?
16-inch is the necklace and design-strand length: enough material for an 18–20 inch finished necklace, multi-strand torsades, long earring drops, or component cutting. 8-inch is the bracelet length: pre-cut to the wrist standard, sized for stretch-cord bracelets and single-wrap pieces. Designers running production bracelet lines typically buy 8-inch to skip the cut-down step; designers doing necklace work, statement pieces, or mixed assemblies buy 16-inch for the bead count and pricing efficiency. Both lengths share the same stones and cuts where stocked — the choice is about finished-piece geometry, not material grade. -
What stones and cuts does Dakota carry in 16-inch?
The 16-inch hub spans the full catalog. Most-stocked stones include agate, turquoise, quartz, jasper, tourmaline, moonstone, garnet, labradorite, opal, and amazonite, with deeper coverage across feldspar, chalcedony, and silica varieties. Cut coverage runs from smooth round and faceted round (the largest categories) through rondelle, microfaceted round, pebble and nugget, cube, table-cut cube, faceted cube, and coin. Standard sizes are 4mm, 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm, with 2mm and 3mm in microfaceted work and 12mm in larger statement rounds. Filter by stone, cut, or size to narrow the grid. -
How does Dakota measure 16-inch strand lengths?
Strand length is measured end-to-end along the drilled axis, beads strung snug with no gaps. A 16-inch strand can run 15.5 to 16.5 inches depending on bead shape and how the cutter finished the temporary string — irregular shapes (nugget, pebble, raw-faceted) sit at the looser end because the drill points don't always center on the bead's midline. Bead count per strand reflects this variance. Length and approximate count should be disclosed; if you need a tight tolerance for a calibrated production run, ask before buying so the team can pull and measure before shipping.