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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.

Blue Apatite 4mm Faceted Bicone - 15-16 Inch

Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
$26.00 - $26.00
Current price $26.00
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Blue Apatite ranges in color from light teal to blue to bright blue to dark blue to green. It can be easily confused with other minerals due to its...

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Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
$26.00 - $26.00
Current price $26.00
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Citrine 6x11 Smooth Nugget - 15-16 Inch

Original price $181.00 - Original price $181.00
Original price $181.00
$181.00 - $181.00
Current price $181.00
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Citrine is a transparent Quartz, ranging in color from pale yellow to golden yellow, honey or brown, giving it a similar appearance to Topaz. It ma...

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Original price $181.00 - Original price $181.00
Original price $181.00
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Current price $181.00
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Petro Tourmaline 7x9mm Nugget - 13-14 Inch

Original price $160.00 - Original price $160.00
Original price $160.00
$160.00 - $160.00
Current price $160.00
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Tourmaline is classified as a semiprecious stone and occurs in a vast array of colors, everything from colorless to black, from pastel to bright to...

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Original price $160.00 - Original price $160.00
Original price $160.00
$160.00 - $160.00
Current price $160.00
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Tourmaline 4x4-8mm Banded Faceted Tube - 15-16 Inch

Original price $240.00 - Original price $240.00
Original price $240.00
$240.00 - $240.00
Current price $240.00
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Tourmaline is classified as a semiprecious stone and occurs in a vast array of colors, everything from colorless to black, from pastel to bright to...

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Original price $240.00 - Original price $240.00
Original price $240.00
$240.00 - $240.00
Current price $240.00
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Brazilian Amazonite 6x10-13mm Faceted Wheel - 15-16 Inch

Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
Original price $32.00
$32.00 - $32.00
Current price $32.00
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Brazilian Amazonite is an opaque blue to green to light green stone, often occurring with inclusions of white, yellow or gray and occasionally tran...

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Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
Original price $32.00
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Current price $32.00
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Citrine 10x13-14x17mm Faceted Tumble Nugget - 15-16 Inch

Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
Original price $32.00
$32.00 - $32.00
Current price $32.00
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Citrine is a transparent Quartz, ranging in color from pale yellow to golden yellow, honey or brown, giving it a similar appearance to Topaz. It ma...

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Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
Original price $32.00
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Current price $32.00
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Aquamarine 10x13-14x17mm Faceted Tumble Nugget - 15-16 Inch

Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
Original price $32.00
$32.00 - $32.00
Current price $32.00
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Aquamarine is a transparent to translucent stone ranging from cerulean blue to light blue in higher grades. In lower grades it can be transparent t...

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Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
Original price $32.00
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Current price $32.00
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Aquamarine 9x11-10x14mm Tumble Nugget A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
Current price $27.00
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Aquamarine is a transparent to translucent stone ranging from cerulean blue to light blue in higher grades. In lower grades it can be transparent t...

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Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
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Current price $27.00
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Topaz 8x10-10x12mm Rough Nugget A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
Current price $27.00
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Topaz is a rare silicate mineral and obtains much of its popularity from its beautiful colors and its status as a birthstone. Topaz occurs in a wi...

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Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
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Current price $27.00
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Cacoxenite 3-5x14-16mm Freeform Hexagon Wheel - 15-16 Inch

Original price $41.00 - Original price $41.00
Original price $41.00
$41.00 - $41.00
Current price $41.00
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Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...

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Original price $41.00 - Original price $41.00
Original price $41.00
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Current price $41.00
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Cacoxenite 12-18mm Freeform Flat Hexagon - 15-16 Inch

Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
Current price $27.00
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Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...

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Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
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Current price $27.00
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Topaz 9x13-12x16mm Top Drill Irregular Flat Drop - 15-16 Inch

Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
$26.00 - $26.00
Current price $26.00
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Topaz is a rare silicate mineral and obtains much of its popularity from its beautiful colors and its status as a birthstone. Topaz occurs in a wi...

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Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
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Current price $26.00
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Citrine 9x13-12x16mm Top Drill Irregular Flat Drop - 15-16 Inch

Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
$26.00 - $26.00
Current price $26.00
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Citrine is a transparent Quartz, ranging in color from pale yellow to golden yellow, honey or brown, giving it a similar appearance to Topaz. It ma...

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Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
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Current price $26.00
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Aquamarine 9x13-12x16mm Top Drill Irregular Flat Drop - 15-16 Inch

Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
$26.00 - $26.00
Current price $26.00
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Aquamarine is a transparent to translucent stone ranging from cerulean blue to light blue in higher grades. In lower grades it can be transparent t...

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Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
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Current price $26.00
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Lepidolite 9x13-12x16mm Top Drill Irregular Flat Drop - 15-16 Inch

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
$24.00 - $24.00
Current price $24.00
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A particularly soft stone, Lepidolite has a glassy or lustrous sheen. It is the most abundant lithium-bearing mineral as well as a significant sour...

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Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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Black Tourmaline 9x13-12x16mm Top Drill Irregular Flat Drop - 15-16 Inch

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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Black Tourmaline is a black crystalline aluminum borosilicate mineral with occasional light gray inclusions that appear as flecks or veins. Tourmal...

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Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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Blue Apatite 9x13-12x16mm Top Drill Irregular Flat Drop - 15-16 Inch

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
$24.00 - $24.00
Current price $24.00
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Blue Apatite ranges in color from light teal to blue to bright blue to dark blue to green. It can be easily confused with other minerals due to its...

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Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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Citrine 6x12-10x20mm Free Form Dancing Drops AA Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $23.00 - Original price $23.00
Original price $23.00
$23.00 - $23.00
Current price $23.00
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Citrine is a transparent Quartz, ranging in color from pale yellow to golden yellow, honey or brown, giving it a similar appearance to Topaz. It ma...

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Original price $23.00 - Original price $23.00
Original price $23.00
$23.00 - $23.00
Current price $23.00
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Strawberry Quartz 6x12-10x20mm Free Form Dancing Drops A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $17.00 - Original price $17.00
Original price $17.00
$17.00 - $17.00
Current price $17.00
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Strawberry Quartz is a translucent, milky to pink silicon dioxide mineral. Its needle to like inclusions of hematite are iridescent red. Quartz has...

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Original price $17.00 - Original price $17.00
Original price $17.00
$17.00 - $17.00
Current price $17.00
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Amazonite 3x9-5x11mm Chip - 15-16 Inch

Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
Current price $10.00
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Brazilian Amazonite is an opaque blue to green to light green stone, often occurring with inclusions of white, yellow or gray and occasionally tran...

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Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
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Current price $10.00
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Sodalite 6x8-12mm Chip - 15-16 Inch

Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
Current price $10.00
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Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...

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Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
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Current price $10.00
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Sodalite 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
Current price $14.00
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Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...

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Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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Purple Lepidolite 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
Current price $14.00
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A particularly soft stone, Lepidolite has a glassy or lustrous sheen. It is the most abundant lithium-bearing mineral as well as a significant sour...

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Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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Green Aventurine 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
Current price $14.00
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Green Aventurine is a green translucent quartz with glimmering metallic inclusions. Green is the most common color for Aventurine, but it can also ...

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Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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Black Gold Amazonite 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
Current price $14.00
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Black Gold Amazonite is a member of the Feldspar family and varies in hue from robin’s egg blue to blue-green to black, occasionally mingled with r...

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Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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Brazilian Amazonite 12mm Faceted Heart - 15-16 Inch

Original price $38.00 - Original price $38.00
Original price $38.00
$38.00 - $38.00
Current price $38.00
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Brazilian Amazonite is an opaque blue to green to light green stone, often occurring with inclusions of white, yellow or gray and occasionally tran...

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Original price $38.00 - Original price $38.00
Original price $38.00
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Current price $38.00
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Golden Sunstone 6mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
$24.00 - $24.00
Current price $24.00
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Sunstone, a variety of Feldspar, is aptly named for its shades of gold, orange, red and brown, as well as its iridescent sparkle. As the stone catc...

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Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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Black Sunstone 6mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
$22.00 - $22.00
Current price $22.00
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Sunstone, a variety of Feldspar, is aptly named for its shades of gold, orange, red and brown, as well as its iridescent sparkle. As the stone catc...

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Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
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Current price $22.00
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Sodalite 6mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
Current price $14.00
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Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...

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Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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Red Hematoid Quartz 6mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
$22.00 - $22.00
Current price $22.00
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Hematoid Quartz is Quartz with inclusions of hematite. The hematite inclusions are responsible for the stone’s color, which can be yellow, orange, ...

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Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
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Current price $22.00
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Mixed Lodalite Quartz 6mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
$22.00 - $22.00
Current price $22.00
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Mixed Lodolite is Quartz with inclusions of sand. These inclusions range broadly in type and color and produce patterns that can look like gardens....

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Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
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Current price $22.00
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Smoky Quartz 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
Current price $18.00
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Smoky Quartz is a translucent smoky brown or gray variety of Quartz. It ranges from almost completely transparent to an almost opaque brownish to g...

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Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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Smoky Quartz 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $17.00 - Original price $17.00
Original price $17.00
$17.00 - $17.00
Current price $17.00
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Smoky Quartz is a translucent smoky brown or gray variety of Quartz. It ranges from almost completely transparent to an almost opaque brownish to g...

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Original price $17.00 - Original price $17.00
Original price $17.00
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Current price $17.00
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Smoky Quartz 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
Current price $27.00
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Smoky Quartz is a translucent smoky brown or gray variety of Quartz. It ranges from almost completely transparent to an almost opaque brownish to g...

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Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
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Current price $27.00
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Sodalite 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
Current price $10.00
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Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...

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Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
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Current price $10.00
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Sodalite 12mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
Current price $18.00
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Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...

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Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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Carnelian 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
Current price $14.00
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Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...

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Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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Carnelian 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $11.00 - Original price $11.00
Original price $11.00
$11.00 - $11.00
Current price $11.00
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Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...

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Original price $11.00 - Original price $11.00
Original price $11.00
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Current price $11.00
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Carnelian 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
$10.00 - $10.00
Current price $10.00
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Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...

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Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
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Current price $10.00
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Carnelian 12mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $23.00 - Original price $23.00
Original price $23.00
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Current price $23.00
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Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...

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Original price $23.00 - Original price $23.00
Original price $23.00
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Current price $23.00
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Carnelian 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
Current price $18.00
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Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...

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Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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Black Lepidolite 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
$22.00 - $22.00
Current price $22.00
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A particularly soft stone, Lepidolite has a glassy or lustrous sheen. It is the most abundant lithium-bearing mineral as well as a significant sour...

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Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
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Current price $22.00
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Black Lepidolite 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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A particularly soft stone, Lepidolite has a glassy or lustrous sheen. It is the most abundant lithium-bearing mineral as well as a significant sour...

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Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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Light Lepidolite 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
$14.00 - $14.00
Current price $14.00
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A particularly soft stone, Lepidolite has a glassy or lustrous sheen. It is the most abundant lithium-bearing mineral as well as a significant sour...

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Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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Black Lepidolite 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
$27.00 - $27.00
Current price $27.00
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A particularly soft stone, Lepidolite has a glassy or lustrous sheen. It is the most abundant lithium-bearing mineral as well as a significant sour...

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Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
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Current price $27.00
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Citrine 10mm Round AAA Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $58.00 - Original price $58.00
Original price $58.00
$58.00 - $58.00
Current price $58.00
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Citrine is a transparent Quartz, ranging in color from pale yellow to golden yellow, honey or brown, giving it a similar appearance to Topaz. It ma...

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Original price $58.00 - Original price $58.00
Original price $58.00
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Current price $58.00
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Cacoxenite 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
Current price $18.00
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Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...

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Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
Current price $18.00
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Black Tourmaline 8mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
$18.00 - $18.00
Current price $18.00
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Black Tourmaline is a black crystalline aluminum borosilicate mineral with occasional light gray inclusions that appear as flecks or veins. Tourmal...

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Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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Frequently asked questions

  • 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.