Gemstone Focals
A single focal can define an entire piece of jewelry, and our collection is built for that moment. Browse statement pendants with top-drilled bails, perfectly domed cabochons ready for bezels, classic center-drilled donuts, and designer collar sets—all cut to showcase dramatic true color, intricate matrix, or mirror-bright translucence.
Shapes range from ovals and coins to free-form marquise; materials span crowd-pleasers like labradorite and turquoise to rarities such as larimar or pietersite. While patterns and dimensions vary slightly—proof each stone is natural—every focal passes Dakota Stones standards for polish, stability, and visual impact.
Choose a centerpiece, frame it with complementary rounds or keep it minimal on leather, and let the stone do the talking. Whatever your design style, this focal lineup supplies the show-stopping element that turns good jewelry into unforgettable art.
Focal Beads for Jewelry Making – Highlight Your Designs
Products: 261
Mother of Pearl 12mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Mother of Pearl, also known as Nacre, is an iridescent composite of organic and inorganic material most known for being the coating of pearls. It i...
View full detailsBoulder Opal 10-18x17-23mm AAA Grade Small Free Form Cabochon
Boulder Opal is a golden-brown to dark brown stone, displaying these colors in patterns of parallel bands. It is considered a precious Opal, and fo...
View full detailsMother of Pearl 10mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Mother of Pearl, also known as Nacre, is an iridescent composite of organic and inorganic material most known for being the coating of pearls. It i...
View full detailsMontana Moss Agate 10x14mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Montana Moss Agate is an unusual Moss Agate in that it exhibits some banding, along with the dendritic inclusions of manganese and iron typical of ...
View full detailsFluorite 13x18mm AAA Grade Oval Cabochon
Fluorite is a luminous, soft and glassy stone, sometimes referred to as “the most colorful mineral in the world.” It is one of the most sought to a...
View full detailsMalachite 10mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Malachite is a copper carbonate with a bright green color and dark green banding. Usually found near copper deposits, it is formed through the comb...
View full detailsBlue Apatite 10mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
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...
View full detailsFluorite 15-22x26-30mm AAA Grade Medium Free Form Cabochon
Fluorite is a luminous, soft and glassy stone, sometimes referred to as “the most colorful mineral in the world.” It is one of the most sought to a...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 10x14mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsMalachite 12mm AAA Grade Coin Cabochon
Malachite is a copper carbonate with a bright green color and dark green banding. Usually found near copper deposits, it is formed through the comb...
View full detailsTiger Eye 13x18mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Tiger Eye is a macrocrystalline Quartz stone with bands of rich golds and browns. Its chatoyant layers that create a flash which seems to emanate f...
View full detailsLabradorite 20mm AAA Grade Coin Cabochon
Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...
View full detailsChrysocolla 15-21x24-36mm AAA Grade Medium Free Form Cabochon
Chrysocolla, a hydrous copper silicate, is often mistaken for turquoise due to its rich blues and blue to greens. It often also occurs with colors ...
View full detailsChrysocolla 13x18mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Chrysocolla, a hydrous copper silicate, is often mistaken for turquoise due to its rich blues and blue to greens. It often also occurs with colors ...
View full detailsPietersite 15-21x16-24mm A Grade Small Free Form Cabochon
Pietersite has been called the Tempest Stone for its colors of deep blue and gray with metallic gold and flashes of brilliant chatoyancy as it catc...
View full detailsOcean Jasper 14x23mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Ocean Jasper is a commercial name for Orbicular Jasper, a variety of Jasper containing variably colored spherical patterns. It forms when Quartz an...
View full detailsBlue Lace Agate 10mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
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...
View full detailsBlue Lace Agate 12mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
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...
View full detailsLabradorite 10mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...
View full detailsFluorite 12mm AAA Grade Coin Cabochon
Fluorite is a luminous, soft and glassy stone, sometimes referred to as “the most colorful mineral in the world.” It is one of the most sought to a...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 15x20mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsOcean Jasper 22x30mm AAA Grade Oval Cabochon
Ocean Jasper is a commercial name for Orbicular Jasper, a variety of Jasper containing variably colored spherical patterns. It forms when Quartz an...
View full detailsLabradorite 10x14mm AAA Grade Oval Cabochon
Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...
View full detailsMother of Pearl 15mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Mother of Pearl, also known as Nacre, is an iridescent composite of organic and inorganic material most known for being the coating of pearls. It i...
View full detailsOcean Jasper 12mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Ocean Jasper is a commercial name for Orbicular Jasper, a variety of Jasper containing variably colored spherical patterns. It forms when Quartz an...
View full detailsLapis 15mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
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 detailsLabradorite 15mm AAA Grade Coin Cabochon
Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...
View full detailsLapis 10mm AAA Grade Coin Cabochon
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 detailsLapis 12mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
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 detailsSeraphinite 14-19x15-31mm A Grade Small Free Form Cabochon
Seraphinite's chatoyancy (optical reflectance) gives it a feathery appearance associated with angels (also known as seraphim.) Seraphinite is most ...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 14mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsAngelite 20-30x43-51mm A Grade Large Free Form Cabochon
A natural blue form of calcium sulfate, it raises the state of conscious awareness and facilitates contact with your angels. It is mined in Peru. I...
View full detailsOcean Jasper 13x18mm AAA Grade Oval Cabochon
Ocean Jasper is a commercial name for Orbicular Jasper, a variety of Jasper containing variably colored spherical patterns. It forms when Quartz an...
View full detailsBlue Lace Agate 15-18x21-34mm AAA Grade Small Free Form Cabochon
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...
View full detailsLabradorite 18-25x25-40mm AAA Grade Medium Free Form Cabochon
Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...
View full detailsChrysocolla 12mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Chrysocolla, a hydrous copper silicate, is often mistaken for turquoise due to its rich blues and blue to greens. It often also occurs with colors ...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 12x16mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 13x18mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 16mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsMalachite 15mm AAA Grade Coin Cabochon
Malachite is a copper carbonate with a bright green color and dark green banding. Usually found near copper deposits, it is formed through the comb...
View full detailsSeraphinite 10mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Seraphinite's chatoyancy (optical reflectance) gives it a feathery appearance associated with angels (also known as seraphim.) Seraphinite is most ...
View full detailsLabradorite 12-17x20-28mm AAA Grade Small Free Form Cabochon
Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...
View full detailsMoonstone 12mm AAA Grade Coin Cabochon
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...
View full detailsChrysocolla 10mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Chrysocolla, a hydrous copper silicate, is often mistaken for turquoise due to its rich blues and blue to greens. It often also occurs with colors ...
View full detailsKunzite 13-22x24-29mm A Grade Medium Free Form Cabochon
Kunzite was named after a former Tiffany & Co. vice president, famed mineralogist and jeweler George Frederick Kunz, who first catalogued the s...
View full detailsPietersite 13x18mm A Grade Oval Cabochon
Pietersite has been called the Tempest Stone for its colors of deep blue and gray with metallic gold and flashes of brilliant chatoyancy as it catc...
View full detailsMontana Moss Agate 15mm A Grade Coin Cabochon
Montana Moss Agate is an unusual Moss Agate in that it exhibits some banding, along with the dendritic inclusions of manganese and iron typical of ...
View full detailsLapis 12-20x22-34mm AAA Grade Medium Free Form Cabochon
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 detailsFrequently asked questions
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What is a focal bead and how do designers use it?
A focal is a larger single bead or pendant — typically 12–40mm — meant to anchor a design rather than repeat down a strand. Designers center one focal on a necklace, hang it as a pendant from a chain or beaded strand, or use it as the visual stop between sections of smaller beads. Because the focal carries the eye, pattern, color zoning, and matrix in the stone matter more than they would on a 6mm round. Most focals in this category ship as individual pieces or small lots rather than full strands, so check the listing for quantity per listing. -
What focal shapes does Dakota carry?
The category covers donuts, ovals, slices, teardrops, squares, free-form shapes, marquise, and guru beads used at the head of a mala. Donuts are the most common (often 38–40mm) and work well on cord or with bail wraps. Slices show interior banding and matrix from the cut face and are usually free-form in outline. Teardrops and ovals drill top-down as pendants; squares and rounds typically drill through the center. Each cut style routes to a sub-collection so you can browse by shape rather than scrolling the full focals hub. -
How large do focal beads typically run?
Most focals fall between 12mm and 40mm. Common sizes include 12mm rounds and squares, 13x18mm and 12x25mm ovals and teardrops, 9x32mm marquise and elongated drops, 15mm donuts, and 38–40mm donuts and slices for statement pendants. Slices and free-forms vary piece to piece because they follow the natural shape of the cut, so the listed dimension is nominal — expect ±1–2mm variation. Exact measurements should be disclosed; ask before buying if a specific size is critical to your finished design. -
What's the difference between top-drilled and center-drilled focals?
Top-drilled focals have the hole running side-to-side near the top of the bead, so the piece hangs as a pendant — common on teardrops, ovals, and slices. Center-drilled focals have the hole running through the long axis like a regular bead, so they sit in-line on a strand or wire. Donuts use a large central hole and are usually strung on cord, leather, or with a bail. Drill direction changes how you finish the piece, so confirm the drill style before ordering findings or stringing material. -
Which stones work best as focals?
Pattern-rich material reads strongest at focal size. Jasper is the largest group here — picture jasper, ocean jasper, and landscape varieties all show scenic banding that benefits from a larger cut surface. Agate and botswana agate carry visible banding; labradorite and tiger eye carry chatoyancy and flash that need surface area to show. Lapis, amazonite, turquoise, rose quartz, and quartz round out the offering for solid-color or translucent focals. Treatment varies by stone — stabilization on turquoise, dye on some agates — and should be disclosed; ask before buying if it isn't specified.