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
Sapphire 6mm Faceted Round 15-16 Inch
Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red! They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...
View full detailsSapphire 8mm Energy Prism Faceted - 15-16 Inch
Metaphysically, all sapphires are considered stones of wisdom, however different colors have additional attributes such as enhanced emotional resil...
View full detailsSapphire Faceted Hexagon & Hex tubes 15-16 Inch
Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red! They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...
View full details3mm Sapphire Faceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red! They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...
View full detailsSapphire Flower Natural 3mm Faceted Round Banded - 15-16 Inch
Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red! They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...
View full detailsScapolite Cat's Eye Red 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Selenite 10mm Round A Grade 15-16 Inch
Selenite is a crystal formed from the mineral gypsum, which comes in many forms and color variations, but has been used historically to describe th...
View full detailsSelenite 6mm Round A Grade 15-16 Inch
Selenite is a crystal formed from the mineral gypsum, which comes in many forms and color variations, but has been used historically to describe th...
View full detailsSeraphinite 2mm Round Faceted A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Seraphinite's chatoyancy (optical reflectance) gives it a feathery appearance associated with angels (also known as seraphim.) Seraphinite is most ...
View full detailsSeraphinite 3mm Round Faceted A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Seraphinite's chatoyancy (optical reflectance) gives it a feathery appearance associated with angels (also known as seraphim.) Seraphinite is most ...
View full detailsShattuckite 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Shattuckite is a rare copper silicate hydroxide mineral. It occurs in bright turquoise blues and darker blues as well as rust reds, commonly with i...
View full detailsShattuckite 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Shattuckite is a rare copper silicate hydroxide mineral. It occurs in bright turquoise blues and darker blues as well as rust reds, commonly with i...
View full detailsShiva Eye 18-22 Irregular Oval 15-16 Inch
Shungite 10mm Faceted Nugget 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsShungite 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsShungite 20mm Coin - 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsShungite 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsShungite 6mm Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsShungite 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsShungite 8mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsShungite 8mm Round 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsShungite 8x5mm Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...
View full detailsSilver Phantom Quartz 5mm Cube Table Cut Bead - 15-16 Inch
Phantom Quartz form over pre to existing crystals. The boundaries of the included crystals are visible and are known as “phantoms.” Phantom Quartz ...
View full detailsSmoky Quartz 8mm Round 15-16 Inch
Smoky Quartz is a translucent smoky brown or gray variety of Quartz. It ranges from almost completely transparent to an almost opaque brownish-gray...
View full detailsSodalite 10mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
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...
View full detailsSodalite 10mm Round 15-16 Inch
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...
View full detailsSodalite 4mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
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...
View full detailsSodalite 6-7mm Table Cut Cube Bead - 15-16 Inch
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...
View full detailsSodalite 8mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
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...
View full detailsSodalite 8mm Round 15-16 Inch
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...
View full detailsSonora Jasper 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Sonora Jasper is the trade name for Sonora Dendritic. The stone was discovered in 2009 by a man in Mexico as a man chasing his goat up a mountain ...
View full detailsStrawberry Quartz 8x10mm Oval Faceted, Free Form - 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 detailsStrawberry Quartz Faceted Banded 3mm Round - 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 detailsStrawberry Quartz Natural 6-7mm Table Cut Cube - 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 detailsSunset Dumortierite 10mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
Sunset Dumortierite has a much brighter palette than regular Dumortierite, from light blue to lapis blue to cobalt, as well as some occurrences of ...
View full detailsSunstone 2mm Faceted Cube - 15-16 Inch
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 detailsSunstone 8mm Round - 15-16 inch
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 detailsSunstone 2x3mm Faceted Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
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 detailsSunstone Faceted 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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 detailsSunstone Natural 8X10mm Freeform Nugget - 15-16 Inch
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 detailsTanzanite 3mm Banded Microfaceted Round AA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Tanzanite is both extremely rare and extremely attractive, and we offer it when we can.
Tanzanite Faceted 3mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Tanzanite is both extremely rare and extremely attractive, and we offer it when we can.
Tanzanite Faceted, Yellow & Grey Banded 3mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Tanzanite is both extremely rare and extremely attractive, and we offer it when we can.
Tektite Natural 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Tektite is a natural glass formed by meteorite collisions with Earth. When moving through the Earth’s atmosphere, a meteorite builds up heat that i...
View full detailsTektite Natural 8mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch
Tektite is a natural glass formed by meteorite collisions with Earth. When moving through the Earth’s atmosphere, a meteorite builds up heat that i...
View full detailsTerahertz 10mm Lantern Faceted - 15-16 Inch
Terahertz is a spectacular man made ore. It shines and sparkles like a diamond making it an exceptional addition to any jewelry piece. It has treme...
View full detailsTerahertz 10mm Double Heart Faceted - 15-16 Inch
Terahertz is a spectacular man made ore. It shines and sparkles like a diamond making it an exceptional addition to any jewelry piece. It has treme...
View full detailsTerahertz 10mm Round Triangle-Faceted - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
Terahertz is a spectacular man made ore. It shines and sparkles like a diamond making it an exceptional addition to any jewelry piece. It has treme...
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.