Gemstone Chip Beads
Chips are made from premium off-cuts when cutting cabochons and other shapes. It is a great way to incorporate high quality stones with minimal investment. They are simply tumbled, minimally processed, and left with their organic shapes.
Amazonite 3x9-5x11mm Chip - 15-16 Inch
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
$10.00
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$10.00
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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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
$10.00
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$10.00
Ethiopian Opal 3x5mm (Dyed) Blue Chip - 17 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
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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$44.00
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$44.00
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$44.00
$44.00
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$44.00
Sapphire 6-10mm Irregular Chip - 8 Inch
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$73.00
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$73.00
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$73.00
$73.00
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$73.00
Metaphysically, all sapphires are considered stones of wisdom, however different colors have additional attributes such as enhanced emotional resil...
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$73.00
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$73.00
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$73.00
$73.00
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$73.00
Hubei Turquoise 10-14mm Blue Top Drill Chip - 15-16 Inch
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$43.00
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$43.00
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$43.00
$43.00
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$43.00
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
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$43.00
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$43.00
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$43.00
$43.00
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$43.00
Hubei Turquoise 10-14mm Blue/Green Top Drill Chip - 15-16 Inch
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$43.00
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$43.00
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$43.00
$43.00
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$43.00
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
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$43.00
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$43.00
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$43.00
$43.00
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$43.00
Hubei Turquoise 6mm Blue Chip - 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
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
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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
Light Sunset Dumortierite 5x10-7x16mm Chip - 15-16 Inch
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
$10.00
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$10.00
Sunset Dumortierite has a much brighter palette than regular Dumortierite, from light blue to lapis blue to cobalt, as well as some occurrences of ...
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
Sodalite 6x8-12mm Chip - 15-16 Inch
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
$10.00
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$10.00
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...
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
$10.00
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$10.00
Tanzanite 5x10-20mm Top Drill Teeth - 15-16-Inch
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$21.00
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$21.00
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$21.00
$21.00
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$21.00
Tanzanite is both extremely rare and extremely attractive, and we offer it when we can.
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$21.00
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$21.00
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$21.00
$21.00
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$21.00
Blue Apatite 5x10-20mm Top Drill Teeth - 15-16-Inch
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$15.00
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$15.00
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$15.00
$15.00
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$15.00
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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$15.00
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$15.00
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$15.00
$15.00
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$15.00
Blue Kyanite 5x8m Chip - 15-16 Inch
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$15.00
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$15.00
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$15.00
$15.00
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$15.00
Kyanite often occurs as long, bladed, striated crystals, transparent or translucent with a pearly luster. An aluminum silicate mineral, it may appe...
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$15.00
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$15.00
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$15.00
$15.00
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$15.00
Lapis 8x20mm Faceted Teeth - 9 Inch
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$124.00
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$124.00
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$124.00
$124.00
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$124.00
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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$124.00
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$124.00
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$124.00
$124.00
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$124.00
Amazonite 8x18mm Faceted Teeth - 9 Inch
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$124.00
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$124.00
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$124.00
$124.00
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$124.00
Brazilian Amazonite is an opaque blue to green to light green stone, often occurring with inclusions of white, yellow or gray and occasionally tran...
View full details
Original price
$124.00
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$124.00
Original price
$124.00
$124.00
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$124.00
Sleeping Beauty Turquoise 3mm Chip 18 Inch - Limited Editions
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$51.00
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$51.00
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$51.00
$51.00
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$51.00
Dakota Stones’ Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is from the Sleeping Beauty mine in Globe, Arizona — famous for the outstanding robin’s egg blue color and...
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$51.00
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$51.00
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$51.00
$51.00
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$51.00
Aquamarine 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
Aquamarine is a transparent to translucent stone ranging from cerulean blue to light blue in higher grades. In lower grades it can be transparent t...
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
Blue Lace Agate 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
Blue Lace Agate is a naturally occuring soft blue agate, laced with bands or swirls of brighter blue, periwinkle, white and occasionally gray or br...
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
Blue Kyanite 5x10-20mm Top Drill Teeth - 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
Kyanite often occurs as long, bladed, striated crystals, transparent or translucent with a pearly luster. An aluminum silicate mineral, it may appe...
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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
Blue Moonstone 5x8mm Chip - 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
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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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Larimar 5x8mm Chip - 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
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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$20.00
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$20.00
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$20.00
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$20.00
Kingman Turquoise 8-15mm Chip Blue 16 Inch- Limited Editions
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$161.00
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$161.00
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$161.00
$161.00
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$161.00
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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$161.00
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$161.00
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$161.00
$161.00
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$161.00
Kingman Turquoise 10-18mm Chip Blue 9-10 Inch Strands-Limited Editions
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$244.00
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$244.00
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$244.00
$244.00
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$244.00
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...
View full details
Original price
$244.00
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$244.00
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$244.00
$244.00
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$244.00
Kingman Turquoise 15-22mm Chip Green 9-10 Inch Strands- Limited Editions
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$259.00
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$259.00
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$259.00
$259.00
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$259.00
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...
View full details
Original price
$259.00
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$259.00
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$259.00
$259.00
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$259.00
Kingman Turquoise 15-20mm Chip Blue 9-10 Inch Strands- Limited Editions
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$254.00
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$254.00
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$254.00
$254.00
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$254.00
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...
View full details
Original price
$254.00
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$254.00
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$254.00
$254.00
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$254.00
Aquamarine 5x8mm Chip - 15-16 Inch
Original price
$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Aquamarine is a transparent to translucent stone ranging from cerulean blue to light blue in higher grades. In lower grades it can be transparent t...
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
Lapis 5-14mm Graduated Chip Bead - 15-16 Inch
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$49.00
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$49.00
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$49.00
$49.00
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$49.00
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...
View full details
Original price
$49.00
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Original price
$49.00
Original price
$49.00
$49.00
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$49.00
Sleeping Beauty Turquoise 7-11mm Blue Chip Bead - 15-16 Inch
Original price
$307.00
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$307.00
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$307.00
$307.00
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$307.00
Dakota Stones’ Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is from the Sleeping Beauty mine in Globe, Arizona — famous for the outstanding robin’s egg blue color and...
View full details
Original price
$307.00
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Original price
$307.00
Original price
$307.00
$307.00
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$307.00
Sleeping Beauty Turquouise 4-6mm Blue Chip Bead - 15-16 Inch
Original price
$212.00
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$212.00
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$212.00
$212.00
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$212.00
Dakota Stones’ Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is from the Sleeping Beauty mine in Globe, Arizona — famous for the outstanding robin’s egg blue color and...
View full details
Original price
$212.00
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Original price
$212.00
Original price
$212.00
$212.00
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$212.00
About this cut
Cut name
Chip
Drill style
Drilled (irregular axis)
Typical sizes
8mm5mm6mm9mm6-9mm7mm5x10-20mm5x8m
Stones in this cut
TurquoiseOpalQuartzMixed GemstoneTourmalineKyaniteAustralian OpalAmazoniteAmethystAgateJasperLapis
Common uses
stretch braceletsmulti-strand necklacesfringe and tasselsmemory-wire designsbead embroidery accentskumihimo with mixed texturescolor-story layering pieces
Related cuts
Pebble & Nugget, Free Form
Design notes
Chips are the cut to reach for when a stone's rough is too included, too small, or too irregular to yield calibrated beads — which is why turquoise, tourmaline, kyanite, and opal show up here in volume. Treat chip strands as a texture layer: they pair well alongside smooth or faceted rounds (4–6mm) and rondelles, where the calibrated bead carries the rhythm and the chips supply organic movement. Because bead size varies within a single strand, plan focal placement by hand-picking rather than counting. For matched pairs (earrings), buy a strand with enough range to sort from.
Frequently asked questions
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What is a chip bead?
A chip bead is an irregular, freeform gemstone bead — drilled rough or tumble-polished fragments rather than calibrated geometry. Each bead varies in size, profile, and surface, so a strand reads as a natural, organic texture rather than a uniform shape. Most chips are tumble-polished to a smooth, rounded finish, though edges and proportions still differ bead to bead. Drilling is typically through the longest axis, but hole placement varies. Because chips are cut from offcut material and small rough, they're an efficient way to work a stone into a design without paying for calibrated bead yield. -
What sizes does Dakota stock in chips?
Chip sizing is approximate by nature — the tag describes a working range rather than a calibrated measurement. Dakota's chip strands cluster around 8mm (the deepest size pool), with strong stock at 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, and 9mm. Larger irregular ranges like 5x10–20mm and 6–9mm are stocked for designs that want more variation between beads. Bead-to-bead variance within a single strand is expected and is part of how chip strands look. Exact size range, drill, and approximate bead count should be disclosed — ask before buying if it isn't specified. -
What stones come in chip form?
Dakota carries chips in roughly 185 active SKUs. Turquoise is by far the deepest pool at 42 strands, followed by opal (13), quartz (10), mixed-gemstone strands (10), tourmaline (7), Australian opal (6), amazonite (6), kyanite (6), jasper (5), and amethyst (5). Chips are common in stones where calibrated bead yield is low or where the rough is too included or too small for round work — which is why tourmaline, kyanite, and opal show up here. Treatment varies by stone and should be disclosed. -
What jewelry uses chip beads best?
Chips are a workhorse for stretch bracelets, multi-strand necklaces, fringe, tassels, and memory-wire pieces where organic texture matters more than precise repetition. They layer well under or between calibrated rounds and rondelles, adding visual movement without dominating a design. Mixed-gemstone chip strands work for color-story pieces and beach/boho lines. Chips also weave well into bead embroidery and kumihimo, and because beads vary in size, you can hand-pick larger or smaller pieces from a strand for focal placement. -
How are chip strands drilled and strung?
Drill orientation on chip beads is not uniform — holes are typically placed through the longest stable axis of each fragment, but the angle varies bead to bead. That means chips do not sit predictably on a stringing wire the way calibrated beads do, which is part of their visual character. Hole size also varies within a strand. For stretch cord.7mm or 1mm elastic is usually safe; for beading wire.014–.019 covers most strands. If a project needs consistent hole size, ask before buying.