Frequently asked questions

• Are these real diamond beads, and what do they actually look like?

  Yes — Dakota's diamond strands are natural diamond (carbon, cubic system, Mohs 10), drilled for stringing rather than cut as faceted gem solitaires. Most stock is rough, pebble, nugget, cube, or chip form, with surface polish or microfaceting on select cuts. Color runs through industrial grey, silver-black, champagne, and warm brown rather than the colorless D–Z scale of gem-cut diamond. Expect natural inclusions, surface frosting, and irregular shape — that texture is part of why designers reach for drilled diamond rather than faceted melee. Specific color and finish should be disclosed; ask before buying if it isn't specified.
• How is a Mohs 10 stone drilled, and does drilling weaken the bead?

  Diamond is drilled with diamond-tipped or laser tooling — the only practical methods for the hardest natural mineral. The drill channel itself is stable, but diamond has cleavage planes that can split under a sharp hard impact even though the stone resists scratching. In bead form, the risk is hammered findings, tumbling against other diamond beads, or dropping onto stone or tile. String with knots between beads if you want to reduce bead-on-bead contact, and use bead tips or wire guards where the bead meets crimps to keep the drill hole from chipping at the edge.
• What jewelry projects suit drilled diamond beads best?

  The small sizes Dakota stocks (2mm, 3mm, 3–4mm) work as spacer accents alongside larger colored gemstones, gold-fill, or sterling components — a few diamond beads carry visual weight without dominating the piece. Chip and nugget strands suit organic, textural necklaces and bracelets where the irregular surface reads as deliberate. Cube cuts pair cleanly with geometric metalwork. Because the color is muted (grey, black, champagne), diamond beads sit well next to high-saturation stones like sapphire, ruby, emerald, or against matte oxidized silver. Earrings and necklaces see less impact risk than rings or daily-wear bracelets.
• How should finished pieces with diamond beads be cleaned and stored?

  Mild soap, warm water, and a soft brush handle most cleaning. Untreated diamond tolerates ultrasonic cleaning, but if the strand has been irradiated or color-treated, skip ultrasonic and steam — treatment should be disclosed; ask before buying if it isn't specified. Store diamond pieces separately from softer stones (pearls, opals, turquoise, lapis) because diamond will scratch nearly anything it touches in a shared pouch. A fabric-lined compartment or individual soft bag prevents diamond beads from abrading neighboring jewelry. Avoid wearing diamond bracelets during heavy manual work where hard impact is likely.
• How do I tell drilled diamond from cubic zirconia, moissanite, or white sapphire?

  The look-alikes you'll see in the bead trade are mostly faceted gem material, not drilled rough — so a strand of irregular, included, grey-to-champagne pebbles or chips is almost certainly diamond rather than CZ or moissanite, which are produced as cut stones. If you're comparing faceted micro-rounds, diamond shows higher hardness (Mohs 10 vs CZ at 8.5, moissanite at 9.25, white sapphire at 9), natural inclusions under loupe, and lower dispersion than moissanite's strong rainbow fire. A reputable lab can confirm with thermal or refractive testing if a project requires documentation.