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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.

Red Hematoid Quartz 7x8mm Faceted Rice Bead - 15-16 Inch

Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
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Current price $27.00
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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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Carnelian 7x8mm Faceted Rice Bead - 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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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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Larimar 4mm Microfaceted Round A Grade - 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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Larimar is a translucent blue, turquoise and white stone that can have streaks and patterns of white, as well as red or brown either from oxidation...

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Current price $41.00
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Sapphire 4mm Microfaceted Round AA Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $45.00 - Original price $45.00
Original price $45.00
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Current price $45.00
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Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red! They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...

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Rhodochrosite 3mm Microfaceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $21.00 - Original price $21.00
Original price $21.00
$21.00 - $21.00
Current price $21.00
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Rhodochrosite is a bubblegum pink to rose red stone, with occasional inclusions of creamy white and dark grey. A manganese carbonate material of th...

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Tourmaline 4mm Banded Blue/Green Microfaceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $31.00 - Original price $31.00
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Current price $31.00
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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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Bloody Iolite 2.5mm Banded Table Cut Cube Bead - 15-16 Inch

Original price $20.00 - Original price $20.00
Original price $20.00
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Current price $20.00
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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...

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Peach Moonstone 5-6mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

Original price $12.00 - Original price $12.00
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Current price $12.00
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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...

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Mixed Moonstone 7-8mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

Original price $12.00 - Original price $12.00
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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...

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Lapis 7-8mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

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Current price $20.00
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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...

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Chrysoprase 6-7mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

Original price $28.00 - Original price $28.00
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Current price $28.00
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Chrysoprase is a bright apple green, translucent stone, whose color often caused ancient jewelers to confuse it with Emerald. A cryptocrystalline C...

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Sapphire 5-6mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
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Current price $32.00
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Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red! They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...

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Peruvian Turquoise (Chrysocolla) 6-8mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

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Peruvian Turquoise is also known as Turquoise Chrysocolla. It’s attractive blue-green provides a unique color to the mineral world. Peruvian Turquo...

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Peruvian Turquoise (Chrysocolla) 5-6mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

Original price $16.00 - Original price $16.00
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Peruvian Turquoise is also known as Turquoise Chrysocolla. It’s attractive blue-green provides a unique color to the mineral world. Peruvian Turquo...

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Black Moonstone 6-8mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

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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...

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Black Moonstone 5-6mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

Original price $12.00 - Original price $12.00
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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...

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Diopside 4-5mm Irregular Cube - 15-16 Inch

Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
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Current price $32.00
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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...

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Selenite 6mm Round Pastel Rainbow (Dyed) - 15-16 Inch

Original price $20.00 - Original price $20.00
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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...

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Selenite 8mm Round Pastel Rainbow (Dyed) - 15-16 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
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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...

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Selenite 10mm Round Pastel Rainbow (Dyed) - 15-16 Inch

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
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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...

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Brazillian Amazonite 8mm Star Cut Coin A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $27.00 - Original price $27.00
Original price $27.00
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Current price $27.00
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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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Red Garnet 8mm Star Cut Coin - 15-16 Inch

Original price $25.00 - Original price $25.00
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Current price $25.00
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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...

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African Turquoise 8mm Star Cut Coin A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
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African Turquoise is not actually Turquoise, but rather a speckled teal Jasper found in Africa and often treated to simulate the beautiful blue to ...

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African Petrified Wood Agate 8mm Star Cut Coin - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
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Petrified Wood Agate is formed from the petrifaction process of primeval trees over the course of many years. Petrification occurs when the wood is...

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Lapis 6mm Star Cut Coin A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $28.00 - Original price $28.00
Original price $28.00
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Current price $28.00
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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...

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Original price $28.00 - Original price $28.00
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Brazillian Amazonite 6mm Star Cut Coin A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $25.00 - Original price $25.00
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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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Blue Apatite 6mm Star Cut Coin A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $28.00 - Original price $28.00
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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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DZI Agate 10x30mm Nine Eye Barrel Black - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Line Barrel Brown - 14-15 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Three Eye Barrel Black - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Tiger Teeth Barrel Brown - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Six Eye Barrel Brown - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Nine Eye Barrel Brown - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Nine Eye Barrel Dark Green - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Line Barrel Black - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Three Eye Barrel Red - 14-15 Inch - CLEARANCE

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x30mm Three Eye Barrel Brown- 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Eye Agate 8mm Round Dark Green - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x14mm Barrel Green Line - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x14mm Barrel Green Eye - 14-15 Inch

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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DZI Agate 10x14mm Barrel Red Line - 14-15 Inch - CLEARANCE

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“DZI” Agate is made to resemble beads first found in India between 1000 and 2000 BCE. These reproductions are designed in the traditional color, pa...

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Campitos Turquoise 10-14mm Graduated Round - 19-20 Inch

Original price $920.00 - Original price $920.00
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Turquoise is an ancient gemstone, one of the first known to man. Known to Egyptian and Aztec cultures thousands of years ago, Turquoise is now mine...

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Champagne Garnet 3-6mm Graduated Faceted Rondelle - 17-18 Inch

Original price $580.00 - Original price $580.00
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Garnets are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess simila...

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Campitos Turquoise 12-17mm Graduated Round - 19-20 Inch

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Turquoise is an ancient gemstone, one of the first known to man. Known to Egyptian and Aztec cultures thousands of years ago, Turquoise is now mine...

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Fancy Sapphire 8-16mm Graduated Round - 19-20 Inch

Original price $880.00 - Original price $880.00
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Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red! They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...

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Mandarin Garnet 4-6mm Graduated Faceted Rondelle - 15-16 Inch

Original price $592.00 - Original price $592.00
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Garnets are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess simila...

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White & Clear Sapphire 3x4-5x4mm Top Drill Faceted Drop - 15-16 Inch

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Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red! They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...

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Petro Tourmaline 7x9mm Nugget - 13-14 Inch

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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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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.