Heishi and Tyre Shape Beads

Frequently asked questions

• What is a heishi bead and how is a tyre different?

  Heishi (pronounced hee-shee) is a short disc or wafer-shaped bead drilled through the flat face, so beads stack edge-to-edge on the cord and read as a continuous tube of stone. The term comes from Santo Domingo Pueblo shell work. A tyre bead is a slightly taller version — a short cylinder rather than a thin wafer — but drilled the same way through the flat face. Both sit flush against each other on the strand, which is what separates them from rondelles (which are wider than they are tall and have rounded edges). Dakota lists both shapes under this cut because the drill orientation and stacking behavior are the same.
• What sizes of heishi and tyre does Dakota stock?

  Current stock runs from about 2mm thin discs up through 8mm short tyres. The most stocked sizes are 2x4mm (a 2mm-thick by 4mm-wide disc, 23 products), 3x6mm (13 products), and 6mm, 8mm, 4mm, 5mm, 2mm and 7mm rounds and discs. The two-number sizes (2x4mm, 3x6mm) describe thickness x diameter — useful when you're matching scale across a multi-strand design. Exact strand length and bead count per strand should be disclosed; ask before buying if it isn't specified.
• What stones come in heishi or tyre cut at Dakota?

  Turquoise is by far the deepest stock (26 products) — the heishi cut has strong roots in Southwest turquoise and shell work, and that's reflected in the catalog. Natural shell (7) and spiny oyster (7) carry that same tradition. Beyond that, Dakota stocks heishi in amethyst, jasper, mixed gemstone strands, larimar, quartz, amazonite, citrine and a long tail of other materials. Treatment varies by stone — turquoise in particular is often stabilized — so check the listing for treatment notes, and ask before buying if it isn't specified.
• What jewelry does heishi work best for?

  Heishi is the go-to cut for continuous, flexible strands that drape like a tube of solid stone — single-strand chokers and necklaces, layered stacking necklaces, and wrap bracelets all rely on heishi's flush stacking. Thin 2x4mm and 3x6mm discs give you a soft, fluid drape; taller tyres (6mm, 8mm) read more structural and sculptural. Heishi also works well as a spacer between larger focal beads, where the flat face sits cleanly against a round or rondelle without rocking. It's a strong cut for Southwest, coastal, and minimalist designs.
• How does heishi differ from a rondelle or a disc bead?

  All three are wider than they are tall, but the proportions and drill behavior differ. A rondelle has rounded edges and is usually wider than the heishi-style disc, so adjacent beads don't sit perfectly flush — there's a small gap at the cord. Heishi is cut with sharper edges and a flatter face specifically so beads stack tight against each other. A tyre is essentially a taller heishi — a short cylinder. If a design needs the strand to read as one continuous surface, heishi or tyre is the cut; if you want defined separation between beads, a rondelle reads better.