Large Hole Beads
Large hole beads are gemstone beads drilled for cord — a 2mm hole on the 6mm rounds, 2.5mm on the 8mm and 10mm, wide enough for leather, waxed cotton and fine macramé cord to pass straight through. The stone is the same as the standard strand, quartz and amethyst through jasper, agate and freshwater pearl; only the hole changes. On cord a bead slides or knots in place, and a single 8mm round of lapis or tiger eye on a length of leather is a finished piece.
Products: 301
Blue Apatite 8mm Round A Grade - Large Hole Beads
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 detailsBlue Aventurine 6mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Blue Aventurine 8mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Blue Crazy Lace Agate 6mm Round Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
Blue Crazy Lace Agate is actually Mexican Crazy Lace Agate that has been color enhanced with blue to bring out the beautiful patterns in the stone....
View full detailsBlue Crazy Lace Agate 8mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch
Blue Crazy Lace Agate is actually Mexican Crazy Lace Agate that has been color enhanced with blue to bring out the beautiful patterns in the stone....
View full detailsBlue Lace Agate 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 Marbled Quartz 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Marbeled or Mosaic Quartz is a composite stone made with a combination of dyed quartz and bronzite stone remnants from the cutting process mixed wi...
View full detailsBlue Marbled Quartz 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Marbeled or Mosaic Quartz is a composite stone made with a combination of dyed quartz and bronzite stone remnants from the cutting process mixed wi...
View full detailsBlueberry Quartz 8mm Round Faceted (Synthetic) - Large Hole Beads - CLEARANCE
Treated quartz that results in a unique blue color.
Botswana Agate 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads - CLEARANCE
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 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 8mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
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 Natural 4X6mm Rondelle Faceted - Large Hole Beads
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 Red Agate 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 detailsBrazilian Amazonite 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 detailsBrazilian Amazonite 5x8mm Faceted Large Hole Rondelle Beads - 8 Inch
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 detailsBrazilian Amazonite 6mm Faceted Large Hole Hexagon Beads - 8 Inch
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 detailsBrazilian Amazonite 6mm Large Hole Round Beads - 8 Inch
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 detailsBrazilian Amazonite 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 detailsBrazilian Amazonite 8mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
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 detailsBronzite 10x14mm Barrel - Large Hole Beads
Bronzite is a brown stone with a bronze to colored metallic luster due to iron deposits within the stone. An orthoproxene mineral, it is believed t...
View full detailsBronzite 8mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch
Bronzite is a brown stone with a bronze to colored metallic luster due to iron deposits within the stone. An orthoproxene mineral, it is believed t...
View full detailsCacoxenite 6mm Faceted Round Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...
View full detailsCacoxenite 6mm Round Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...
View full detailsCacoxenite Large Hole 10mm Round - 8-inch
Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...
View full detailsCacoxenite Large Hole 8mm Round - 8-inch
Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...
View full detailsCacoxenite Large Hole, Faceted 8mm Round - 8-inch
Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...
View full detailsCacoxenite Natural 4X6mm Rondelle Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Cacoxenite is the trade name for this naturally occurring blend of seven stone types. It was originally named for the visible inclusions of the min...
View full detailsCarnelian 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...
View full detailsCarnelian 6mm Faceted Round - Large Hole Beads
Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...
View full detailsCarnelian 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...
View full detailsCarnelian 8mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch
Carnelian is a glassy, translucent stone that can appear with such bright orange hues that the ancient Egyptians called it “the setting sun.” Most ...
View full detailsChakra 10mm Round Large Hole - 15-16 Inch
Our Chakra strands are comprised of Amethyst, Lapis, Blue Apatite, Green Aventurine, Citrine, Carnelian, Red Garnet and Crystal Quartz.Amethyst is ...
View full detailsChakra 8mm Round Large Hole Bead Strand - 15-16 inch
Our Chakra strands are comprised of Amethyst, Lapis, Blue Apatite, Green Aventurine, Citrine, Carnelian, Red Garnet and Crystal Quartz.Amethyst is ...
View full detailsCrystal Quartz 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Crystal Quartz is a naturally occurring clear and colorless Quartz. It is a crystalline form of Quartz said to have many divine properties includin...
View full detailsCrystal Quartz 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Crystal Quartz is a naturally occurring clear and colorless Quartz. It is a crystalline form of Quartz said to have many divine properties includin...
View full detailsCrystal Quartz 8mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Crystal Quartz is a naturally occurring clear and colorless Quartz. It is a crystalline form of Quartz said to have many divine properties includin...
View full detailsDendritic Opal 6mm Faceted Large Hole Hexagon Beads - 8 Inch
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full detailsDog Teeth Amethyst 8mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch
Dog Teeth Amethyst has a purple and white striped appearance due to its combination of Amethyst and White Quartz. The name derives from the recurri...
View full detailsDog Teeth Amethyst Natural 6mm Round Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
Dog Teeth Amethyst has a purple and white striped appearance due to its combination of Amethyst and White Quartz. The name derives from the recurri...
View full detailsElephant Skin Jasper 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Elephant Skin Jasper, also known as Calligraphy Stone or Miriam Stone, features intricate light brown patterns on dark brown stones. Each stone is ...
View full detailsElephant Skin Jasper 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Elephant Skin Jasper, also known as Calligraphy Stone or Miriam Stone, features intricate light brown patterns on dark brown stones. Each stone is ...
View full detailsFlower Agate 5x8mm Large Hole Faceted Rondelle - 8 Inch
Flower Agate is a type of Agate with opaque Chalcedony inclusions that resemble tiny floral formations. This mineral is a recent find out of Madaga...
View full detailsFlower Agate 6mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Flower Agate is a type of Agate with opaque Chalcedony inclusions that resemble tiny floral formations. This mineral is a recent find out of Madaga...
View full detailsFlower Agate 8mm Large Hole Faceted Round - 8 Inch
Flower Agate is a type of Agate with opaque Chalcedony inclusions that resemble tiny floral formations. This mineral is a recent find out of Madaga...
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Gemstone beads with 2mm and 2.5mm holes

Large hole pearls, turquoise, quartz, agate and jasper

6mm, 8mm and 10mm on 8-inch strands — for leather cord and macramé
Frequently asked questions
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What is a large hole bead and what cord fits through it?
A large hole bead is drilled at 2mm or wider, where a standard gemstone bead is drilled at about 0.8mm to 1.2mm for beading wire and silk. The wider bore takes cord: 1mm and 1.5mm round leather, 2mm round or flat leather, waxed cotton, satin (rat-tail) cord, hemp and macramé cord in the 1mm to 2mm range, or several strands of a fine cord together. Cord should pass freely — stone holes do not stretch — so match the cord to the listed hole size with a little clearance. -
What hole size do large hole gemstone beads have?
Two bores cover nearly everything: 2mm on the 6mm beads and 2.5mm on the 8mm and 10mm beads. Freshwater pearls are drilled at 2mm. Some strands are listed as 2–2.5mm where the bore varies bead to bead within that range, and a few run 2–3mm. The drilling is ultrasonic, so the hole holds one width from end to end with a clean edge, and the hole size is given on each listing beside the bead size. -
What are large hole beads used for?
Leather cord is the main use: bracelets and necklaces on 1.5mm to 2mm round leather, with the beads knotted in place or left to slide. Macramé and knotted jewelry on 1mm to 2mm cord is the second, the beads worked into square knots, half hitches and sliding closures. They also string on satin and rat-tail cord, waxed cotton, hemp, micro paracord and kumihimo braids fine enough to pass a 2mm hole, and one bead on a knotted cord is a finished piece by itself. Because the cord carries the bead, a piece sits and drapes with more movement than one strung tight on wire. -
Which gemstones come with large holes?
Most of the stone range has been drilled this way at one time or another — more than a hundred stones over the life of the line. The quartz family is the largest group: crystal, rose, smoky and rutilated quartz, with amethyst beside them. Jaspers and agates follow — picture, red creek, ocean and impression jasper; Botswana, blue lace, crazy lace and flower agate — then amazonite, lapis, sodalite, tiger eye, aventurine, jade, rhodonite, labradorite, aquamarine, garnet, African turquoise, obsidian, onyx, carnelian, howlite and lava, plus freshwater pearl in potato, rice, button and baroque shapes. Most are natural; dyed, heated or stabilized strands are labelled where known, and the man-made glass beads — opalite, goldstone — are named as such. -
What size cord fits a 2mm or 2.5mm hole?
Allow clearance. A 2mm hole passes 1mm and 1.5mm round leather and most 1mm to 1.5mm cords; a 2.5mm hole passes 2mm round leather, 2mm flat leather on edge, or two strands of 1mm cord. Leather is rarely perfectly round, so the cord should slide through without forcing. Bead diameter is a separate measure — an 8mm and a 10mm bead here share the same 2.5mm bore — so diameter sets the look and weight of a piece while the hole sets the cord. A knot in 1.5mm to 2mm leather is wider than the hole, which is what holds a bead in place on cord.