Clear Beads

Frequently asked questions

• What clear gemstone beads do you carry?

  Crystal Quartz leads the collection by volume — water-clear to slightly cloudy natural quartz from Brazil and Madagascar. Herkimer-style double-terminated Quartz adds high-clarity faceted material. Translucent Moonstone, Prehnite, Fluorite, Druzy Agate, and rare clear Fossil pieces round out the collection. This is a small but specialized category — useful as spacer beads or focal points where light play matters.
• Is crystal quartz the same as glass?

  No. Crystal Quartz is silicon dioxide (SiO2), a natural mineral with Mohs 7 hardness. Glass is amorphous (non-crystalline), Mohs 5.5, and made from melted silica plus other ingredients. Practical tests: real quartz feels colder than glass to the touch, is harder to scratch with a steel knife, and shows occasional natural inclusions (tiny mineral wisps or veils) under magnification. Glass usually shows tiny bubbles instead.
• What are herkimer diamonds?

  Herkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds — they are an exceptionally clear, naturally double-terminated form of Crystal Quartz, originally found in Herkimer County, New York. The 'diamond' is a trade name describing their glass-clear appearance and natural faceting, not the mineralogy. Bead-trade 'Herkimer-style' Quartz typically comes from other localities (Pakistan, China) and serves the same design purpose.
• Which clear gemstones are birthstones?

  April: Diamond (Crystal Quartz and Clear Topaz are common bead-trade alternates). Moonstone (June) appears in clear, translucent varieties as well as the more familiar white adularescent form.
• Why are clear gemstones useful in design?

  Clear beads serve three practical roles: as palate cleansers between strongly saturated colors to give the eye a rest; as light-reflective accents that pick up surrounding colors and refract them; and as spacer beads that emphasize a focal stone without competing visually. Crystal Quartz pairs well with virtually any color and any metal — it has no inherent color story of its own.