Double Hearted & Star Cut Beads

Frequently asked questions

• What is a double hearted bead?

  A double hearted bead is a heart-shaped bead carved so both faces show the full heart silhouette — puffy on the front and back rather than flat on one side. The two carved faces meet at a rounded edge, giving the bead dimension when strung. Most are drilled straight through the bead from the top center (the cleft between the lobes) down through the point, so they hang in the conventional heart orientation. The result reads as a heart from every angle, which makes them work as strung repeats rather than single focal drops.
• What sizes does Dakota stock in double hearted?

  Dakota currently stocks double hearted beads in 4mm, 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm, with 6mm and 8mm carrying the deepest selection across stones. The size refers to the heart's face dimension (height/width across the lobes), not the depth front-to-back. 4mm hearts are small repeat units suited to delicate stringing; 6mm and 8mm are the workhorse sizes for bracelets and necklaces; 10mm reads as a statement bead. Exact dimensions vary slightly by stone and lot — check the listing for the listed measurement.
• What stones come in this cut at Dakota?

  Across 61 active SKUs, sardonyx, rose quartz, amethyst, moonstone, and labradorite carry the deepest selection in double hearted, followed by quartz, amazonite, agate, garnet, and terahertz. Stones that hold a clean carved edge — quartz family, agates, jaspers, moonstone, labradorite — make up most of the stock because the puffy heart geometry needs material that won't chip at the cleft or point. Treatment and origin vary by stone; details should appear on each listing — ask before buying if anything specific isn't listed.
• What jewelry does double hearted work best for?

  Double hearted beads suit pieces where the heart motif is the design — Valentine's and gift-market jewelry, bridesmaid sets, charm bracelets, mala-style strung pieces with a romantic read. Because both faces are carved, they work in single-strand designs where the beads rotate freely and still look intentional. 6mm and 8mm are the common bracelet sizes; 4mm works for delicate necklaces or as spacers between larger focal beads. They also string well alongside rounds or rondelles of the same stone for a graduated pattern.
• How is a double hearted different from a flat or carved heart pendant?

  A flat heart is typically one carved face on a slab of stone, often with a top-drilled hole so it hangs as a pendant or charm. A double hearted bead is fully three-dimensional — both faces carved, drilled through the body — so it functions as a strung bead in a continuous strand rather than a single focal piece. If you want a heart pendant that hangs from a chain, you want a top-drilled flat heart. If you want hearts strung in repetition or alternated with other beads, double hearted is the geometry.