Agate - 8-Inch

Frequently asked questions

• What is an 8-inch agate strand and who is it for?

  An 8-inch strand is the bracelet-market sibling of Dakota's 16-inch design strand — same agate material, same cuts, half the length. It's sized for makers who finish one wrist's worth of beads per strand rather than stringing a necklace or batching multiple pieces from one hank. If you're making stretch bracelets, wraps, or multi-strand stacks and don't want leftover beads sitting in inventory, 8-inch is the working length. Designers who batch necklaces, multi-piece runs, or longer chokers should order the 16-inch parent instead — the cost-per-bead is better at length.
• How many agate beads come on an 8-inch strand?

  Bead count varies with exact diameter and drill-hole spacing, but a rough working count: about 50 beads at 4mm, 33 at 6mm, 25 at 8mm, 20 at 10mm, and 16–17 at 12mm. Shaped cuts (ovals, coins, rondelles, nuggets) follow their own count math depending on the bead's long axis. For a standard 7-inch wrist on stretch cord with a 4mm spacer, one 8-inch strand of 8mm rounds usually finishes a bracelet with a few beads to spare. Exact count should be disclosed — ask before buying if you need a guaranteed minimum.
• What jewelry works best with 8-inch agate strands?

  Stretch bracelets are the most common use — one 8-inch strand of 8mm or 10mm rounds finishes a standard wrist with room for elastic knots. Multi-strand stacks pair well too: buy three or four 8-inch strands in coordinating agate varieties (banded, moss, dendritic, crazy lace) and build a stacked look without committing to full 16-inch hanks of each. Wrap bracelets on leather or cord, memory-wire cuffs, and small earring drops with leftover beads round out typical uses. Coin and double-drilled cuts open up flat-lay and ladder-style bracelet builds.
• Does Dakota carry the same agate in 16-inch strands?

  Yes. The 16-inch parent collection is at dakotastones.com/collections/agate-gemstone-beads and carries the same agate varieties — banded, moss, dendritic, crazy lace, fire, botswana, and others — in a wider range of cuts and sizes. If you're batching bracelets, finishing necklaces, or running a production line, the 16-inch length usually gives better cost-per-bead and more bead-count headroom per strand. The 8-inch assortment here is the convenience length for single-piece bracelet work.
• What cuts and sizes are stocked in 8-inch agate right now?

  Current 8-inch agate stock leans heavily on rounds (the bracelet workhorse), with ovals, rondelles, coins, squares, faceted rondelles, pebbles, nuggets, and double-drilled options also represented. Sizes cluster around 8mm with 4mm, 6mm, 10mm, and 12mm in rotation, plus occasional larger focal pieces up to 30mm. Agate variety (banded, moss, dendritic, crazy lace, etc.), country of origin, and any treatment or stabilization should appear on the individual listing — ask before buying if a specific detail isn't listed. Stock rotates, so check the live grid for what's available today.