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
Kunzite 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
Kunzite was named after a former Tiffany & Co. vice president, famed mineralogist and jeweler George Frederick Kunz, who first catalogued the s...
View full detailsJade 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
Jade refers to an ornamental mineral, mostly known for its green varieties. Jade has been used for tens of thousands of years, initially as tools b...
View full detailsIolite 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
Iolite most commonly occurs in shades of blue to gray, violet or indigo. It displays a visual property called “pleochroism,” which means that it ca...
View full detailsDiopside 7x9-8x10mm Pebble - 15-16-Inch
Diopside is a calcium and magnesium silicate mineral. It is transparent or translucent, and can display a nearly emerald green color due to the pre...
View full detailsGolden Rutilated Quartz 7x9-8x10mm Pebble - 15-16-Inch
Golden Rutilated Quartz is a silicon dioxide mineral with unique needle-like inclusions of Rutile. These “needles” usually appear golden, but can a...
View full detailsChrysocolla 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
Chrysocolla, a hydrous copper silicate, is often mistaken for turquoise due to its rich blues and blue to greens. It often also occurs with colors ...
View full detailsCitrine 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
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...
View full detailsCrystal Quartz 7x9-8x10mm Pebble - 15-16-Inch
Crystal Quartz is a naturally occurring clear and colorless Quartz. It is a crystalline form of Quartz said to have many divine properties includin...
View full detailsRed Botswana Agate 7x9-8x10mm Pebble - 15-16-Inch
Red Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana...
View full detailsBlue Tiger Eye 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
Blue Tiger Eye is a naturally occurring dark stone with chatoyant layers that create a flash which seems to emanate from within the stone as they c...
View full detailsBlack Opal 7x9-8x10mm Pebble - 15-16-Inch
Black Opal is a naturally occurring variety of precious opal mined in Australia. this opal variety is characterized by their dark base tone. It is ...
View full detailsAmethyst 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
Amethyst is a beautiful purple stone, known as a “Gem of Fire” by ancient cultures. It has been greatly sought after throughout history and was at ...
View full detailsDevil Aquamarine 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
"Devil Aquamarine" (or "Devil Blue Aquamarine") is a market term for natural aquamarine characterized by deep blue, dark tones, and inclusions of b...
View full detailsBlue Apatite 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
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...
View full detailsAquamarine 7x9-8x10mm Pebble A Grade - 15-16-Inch
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...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 9-10mm Blue Irregular Rondelle A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 8-9x10-13mm Blue Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsAtlantisite Stichtite 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Stichtite is a mineral, a carbonate of chromium and magnesium. Its color ranges from pink through lilac to a rich purple color. Discovered in 1910 ...
View full detailsLabradorite 8x10mm Triangle Cut Faceted Puff Oval 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 detailsOlive Jade 8x10mm Triangle Cut Faceted Puff Oval A Grade - 15-16-Inch
Olive Jade is the commercial name for this yellow to green to olive green stone and ranges from translucent to opaque. This material is actually Se...
View full detailsObsidian 8x10mm Triangle Cut Faceted Puff Oval - 15-16-Inch
Essentially a volcanic glass, Obsidian ranges in color from opaque black, to green, brown, mahogany, black with rainbow colors, black with snowflak...
View full detailsAmethyst 8x10mm Triangle Cut Faceted Puff Oval - 15-16-Inch
Amethyst is a beautiful purple stone, known as a “Gem of Fire” by ancient cultures. It has been greatly sought after throughout history and was at ...
View full detailsStrawberry Quartz 8x10mm Triangle Cut Faceted Puff Oval A Grade - 15-16-Inch
Strawberry Quartz is a translucent, milky to pink silicon dioxide mineral. Its needle to like inclusions of hematite are iridescent red. Quartz has...
View full detailsCrystal Quartz 8x10mm Triangle Cut Faceted Puff Oval - 15-16-Inch
Crystal Quartz is a naturally occurring clear and colorless Quartz. It is a crystalline form of Quartz said to have many divine properties includin...
View full detailsMorganite 10X15mm Tumble Nugget - 15-16 inch
Morganite gets its pink hue from the presence of manganese or cesium in the stone. It's actually a pink variety of Beryl -- the family of gemstones...
View full detailsGreen Lodalite Quartz 6-8X8-10mm Pebble - 15-16 inch
Green Lodolite is Quartz with inclusions of sand. These inclusions range broadly in type and color and produce patterns that can look like gardens....
View full detailsGreen Lodalite Quartz 6-8X10-12mm Nugget Faceted - 15-16 inch
Green Lodolite is Quartz with inclusions of sand. These inclusions range broadly in type and color and produce patterns that can look like gardens....
View full detailsLapis 10mm Energy Prism Multi - 15-16 inch
Lapis is a semi to precious stone and one of the most sought after throughout history. It is highly regarded for its beautiful blue color flecked w...
View full detailsCitrine 10mm Round (Natural) AA Grade - 15-16 inch
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...
View full detailsCitrine 10mm Round (Natural) A Grade - 15-16 inch
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...
View full detailsOrthoceras Fossil (Natural) 10mm Round - 15-16 inch
Orthoceras was an ancient mollusk that lived over 370 million years ago! Fossils are believed to reduce stress, balance emotions and promote confi...
View full detailsGraphic Feldspar 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Feldspars are a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, containing sodium, calcium, potassium or barium. The most common members of...
View full detailsAncient Cellar Black Agate 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Ancient Cellar Black Agate is a natural agate that is dyed and heated to give it the unique color and pattern we call Ancient Cellar.
Blue Black Porcelain Agate 10mm Matte Round - 15-16 inch
Porcelain Agate is a natural agate that is dyed and heated to give it the unique blue/black color and pattern that resembles porcelain.
White Porcelain Agate 10mm Matte Round - 15-16 inch
Porcelain Agate is a natural agate that is dyed and heated to give it a pattern that resembles porcelain.
Blue Black Porcelain Agate 10mm Round - 15-16 inch
Porcelain Agate is a natural agate that is dyed and heated to give it the unique blue/black color and pattern that resembles porcelain.
White Porcelain Agate 10mm Round - 15-16 inch
Porcelain Agate is a natural agate that is dyed and heated to give it a pattern that resembles porcelain.
Blue White Porcelain Agate 10mm Matte Round - 15-16 inch
Porcelain Agate is a natural agate that is dyed and heated to give it the unique blue/white color and pattern that resembles porcelain.
Opalite Pink (Synthetic) 10mm Puff Square - 15-16 inch - CLEARANCE
Opalite is the trade name for man to made glass treated to exhibit the internal flashes of true Opals in translucent samples, and opalescence or lu...
View full detailsOpalite Pink (Synthetic) 10mm Round - 15-16 inch - CLEARANCE
Opalite is the trade name for man to made glass treated to exhibit the internal flashes of true Opals in translucent samples, and opalescence or lu...
View full detailsOpalite Pink (Synthetic) 10mm Faceted Puff Coin - 15-16 inch - CLEARANCE
Opalite is the trade name for man to made glass treated to exhibit the internal flashes of true Opals in translucent samples, and opalescence or lu...
View full detailsOpalite Pink (Synthetic) 10mm Faceted Round - 15-16 inch - CLEARANCE
Opalite is the trade name for man to made glass treated to exhibit the internal flashes of true Opals in translucent samples, and opalescence or lu...
View full detailsWhite Moonstone 10mm Round - 15-16 inch
Moonstone occurs in naturally in shades of white, gray, black, and peach, as well as translucent and iridescent. Metaphysically, moonstone is thoug...
View full detailsSunstone 10mm Rough Heishi - 15-16 inch - CLEARANCE
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...
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.