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.
4x6 mm Dendritic Opal Table Cut Corner Drilled Cube - 15-16 Inch
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
$26.00
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$26.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
$26.00
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$26.00
Australian Green Opal 10mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
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$59.00
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$59.00
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$59.00
$59.00
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$59.00
Australian Green Opal is a variety of Common Opal which is a mixture of Opal and nontronite. Common Opal is generally opaque, without the play of c...
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$59.00
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$59.00
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$59.00
$59.00
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$59.00
Australian Green Opal 7mm Cube Table Cut - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
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$55.00
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$55.00
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$55.00
$55.00
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$55.00
Australian Green Opal is a variety of Common Opal which is a mixture of Opal and nontronite. Common Opal is generally opaque, without the play of c...
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$55.00
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$55.00
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$55.00
$55.00
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$55.00
Australian Green Opal 8mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
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$45.00
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$45.00
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$45.00
$45.00
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$45.00
Australian Green Opal is a variety of Common Opal which is a mixture of Opal and nontronite. Common Opal is generally opaque, without the play of c...
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$45.00
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$45.00
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$45.00
$45.00
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$45.00
Australian Boulder Opal 4mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
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$28.00
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$28.00
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$28.00
$28.00
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$28.00
Boulder Opal is a golden-brown to dark brown stone, displaying these colors in patterns of parallel bands. It is considered a precious Opal, and fo...
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$28.00
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$28.00
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$28.00
$28.00
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$28.00
Australian Boulder Opal Faceted 3mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$32.00
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$32.00
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$32.00
$32.00
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$32.00
Boulder Opal is a golden-brown to dark brown stone, displaying these colors in patterns of parallel bands. It is considered a precious Opal, and fo...
View full details
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$32.00
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$32.00
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$32.00
$32.00
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$32.00
Australian Boulder Opal Faceted 5mm Round - 15-16 inch
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$52.00
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$52.00
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$52.00
$52.00
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$52.00
Boulder Opal is a golden-brown to dark brown stone, displaying these colors in patterns of parallel bands. It is considered a precious Opal, and fo...
View full details
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$52.00
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$52.00
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$52.00
$52.00
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$52.00
Australian Green Opal Light Green 10mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
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$59.00
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$59.00
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$59.00
$59.00
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$59.00
Australian Green Opal is a variety of Common Opal which is a mixture of Opal and nontronite. Common Opal is generally opaque, without the play of c...
View full details
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$59.00
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$59.00
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$59.00
$59.00
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$59.00
Australian Opal 3-8mm Chip - 15-16 Inch
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$175.00
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$175.00
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$175.00
$175.00
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$175.00
Dakota Stones Australian Opals are back. We have been working with a father/ son team out of Australia for many years that assist us to bring you s...
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$175.00
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$175.00
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$175.00
$175.00
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$175.00
Black Opal Australian, Faceted 3mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$40.00
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$40.00
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$40.00
$40.00
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$40.00
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 details
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$40.00
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$40.00
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$40.00
$40.00
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$40.00
Black Opal Australian, Faceted 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$48.00
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$48.00
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$48.00
$48.00
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$48.00
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 details
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$48.00
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$48.00
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$48.00
$48.00
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$48.00
Blue Peru Opal 15x20-18x25mm Double Drill Tab Collar
Regular Price
$320.00
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$320.00
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$320.00
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$320.00
$96.00
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$96.00
Blue Peruvian Opal naturally occurs with swirling patterns of deep blues, blue-greens and greens swirled with yellow-green, rust, brown and orange....
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$320.00
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$320.00
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$320.00
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$320.00
$96.00
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$96.00
Sale
Dendritic Black Opal 6mm Round 15-16 Inch
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
$14.00
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$14.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
$14.00
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$14.00
Dendritic Black Opal 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$17.00
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$17.00
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$17.00
$17.00
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$17.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
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$17.00
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$17.00
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$17.00
$17.00
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$17.00
Mexican Fire Opal 2x6-5x10mm Rough Chips 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
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$46.00
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$46.00
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$46.00
$46.00
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$46.00
Fire Opal is a transparent or translucent stone named for the vivid red, orange and yellow colors in which it occurs. The most precious Fire Opal h...
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$46.00
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$46.00
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$46.00
$46.00
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$46.00
Mexican Fire Opal 8-20mm Top Drill Rough Drops 15-16 Inch
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$32.00
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$32.00
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$32.00
$32.00
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$32.00
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$32.00
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$32.00
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$32.00
$32.00
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$32.00
Pink Opal 6mm Natural Energy Prism Faceted - 15-16 Inch
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
$26.00
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$26.00
Yellow Opal 12-16mm Irregular Faceted Coin A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$39.00
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$39.00
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$39.00
$39.00
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$39.00
Yellow Opal is transparent to opaque, milky white to pale yellow in color. It sometimes features dark brown to black dendritic inclusions that bran...
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$39.00
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$39.00
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$39.00
$39.00
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$39.00
Yellow Opal 2mm Table Cut Cube Banded Bead - 15-16 Inch
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
$18.00
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$18.00
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 details
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
$18.00
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$18.00
Yellow Opal Faceted AA-Grade Banded 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$19.00
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$19.00
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$19.00
$19.00
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$19.00
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 details
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$19.00
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$19.00
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$19.00
$19.00
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$19.00
Pink Opal 4mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$24.00
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$24.00
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$24.00
$24.00
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$24.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
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$24.00
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$24.00
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$24.00
$24.00
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$24.00
Pink Opal 10mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$42.00
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$42.00
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$42.00
$42.00
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$42.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$42.00
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$42.00
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$42.00
$42.00
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$42.00
Pink Opal 8mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$33.00
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$33.00
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$33.00
$33.00
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$33.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$33.00
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Original price
$33.00
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$33.00
$33.00
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$33.00
Dendritic Black Opal 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$13.00
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$13.00
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$13.00
$13.00
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$13.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
Original price
$13.00
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$13.00
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$13.00
$13.00
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$13.00
Dendritic Green Opal 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$38.00
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$38.00
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$38.00
$38.00
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$38.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
Original price
$38.00
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Original price
$38.00
Original price
$38.00
$38.00
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$38.00
Madagascar Green Dendritic Opal 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$24.00
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$24.00
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$24.00
$24.00
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$24.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
Original price
$24.00
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Original price
$24.00
Original price
$24.00
$24.00
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$24.00
Madagascar Green Dendritic Opal 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$20.00
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$20.00
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$20.00
$20.00
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$20.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
Original price
$20.00
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$20.00
Original price
$20.00
$20.00
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$20.00
Madagascar Green Dendritic Opal 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
Original price
$16.00
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$16.00
Original price
$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Dendritic Yellow Opal 15x20mm Oval - 15-16 Inch
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$17.00
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$17.00
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$17.00
$17.00
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$17.00
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$17.00
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$17.00
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$17.00
$17.00
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$17.00
White African Opal 6mm Round w/ Red Matrix - 15-16 Inch
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
White African Opal is a white to cream to light tan stone with veining of black or gray. Like all Opals, it is a form of hydrated amorphous silica,...
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Pink Opal 5x10-20mm Top Drill Teeth - 15-16 Inch
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$16.00
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Original price
$16.00
Original price
$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Pink Opal 6x8mm Faceted Oval - 15-16 Inch
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$44.00
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$44.00
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$44.00
$44.00
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$44.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$44.00
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Original price
$44.00
Original price
$44.00
$44.00
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$44.00
Pink Opal 6mm Square Faceted - 15-16 Inch
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$44.00
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$44.00
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$44.00
$44.00
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$44.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$44.00
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Original price
$44.00
Original price
$44.00
$44.00
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$44.00
Mexican Fire Opal Dark 2-10mm Chip - 15-16 Inch
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$46.00
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$46.00
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$46.00
$46.00
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$46.00
[Use Fire Opal description? This Fire Opal contains both Opal and the rhyolitic host material in which it is formed, which provides sufficient hard...
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$46.00
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$46.00
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$46.00
$46.00
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$46.00
Pink Opal 3x4mm Rondelle Faceted A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$28.00
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$28.00
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$28.00
$28.00
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$28.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$28.00
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Original price
$28.00
Original price
$28.00
$28.00
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$28.00
Black Opal 4mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch
Original price
$44.00
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$44.00
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$44.00
$44.00
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$44.00
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 details
Original price
$44.00
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Original price
$44.00
Original price
$44.00
$44.00
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$44.00
Ethiopian Opal 2.5mm Cube Light Yellow Faceted - 15-16 Inch
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$32.00
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$32.00
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$32.00
$32.00
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$32.00
Ethiopian Opal was first discovered in Ethiopia in 1994, with additional major finds in 2008 and 2013. Beautiful specimens of Precious Opal, Fire O...
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Original price
$32.00
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Original price
$32.00
Original price
$32.00
$32.00
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$32.00
Ethiopian Opal 5-6x6-8mm Pear Brown - 15-16 Inch
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$252.00
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Original price
$252.00
Original price
$252.00
$252.00
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$252.00
Ethiopian Opal was first discovered in Ethiopia in 1994, with additional major finds in 2008 and 2013. Beautiful specimens of Precious Opal, Fire O...
View full details
Original price
$252.00
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Original price
$252.00
Original price
$252.00
$252.00
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$252.00
Ethiopian Opal 4x9-12mm Pear Black - 15-16 Inch
Original price
$210.00
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Original price
$210.00
Original price
$210.00
$210.00
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$210.00
Ethiopian Opal was first discovered in Ethiopia in 1994, with additional major finds in 2008 and 2013. Beautiful specimens of Precious Opal, Fire O...
View full details
Original price
$210.00
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Original price
$210.00
Original price
$210.00
$210.00
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$210.00
Frequently 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.