Large Hole Gemstone Beads
Large-hole gemstone beads allow for jewelry designs with thicker cords. Our 8-inch strands come in 6 mm, 8 mm, and 10 mm rounds or rondelles, each drilled to an ample 2.0 mm (6 mm size) or 2.5 mm (8 mm & 10 mm sizes). Choose from polished, faceted, or matte finishes in 70+ popular stone types.
These big hole beads slip easily onto leather cord, suede, kumihimo braid, hemp, rat-tail, or heavy-gauge wire—ideal for slide-knot bracelets, bolo-style necklaces, and mixed-media macramé. Designers love them for speedy string-ups and for adding natural heft to pieces that need to sit flat and wear strong.
Browse the full range, filter by size or finish, and pair your picks with matching leather or cord from our Tools & Supplies section to build durable, statement-ready jewelry without fuss.
Products: 291
Larvikite 8mm Faceted Round Large Hole - 8-inch
The name originates from the town of Larvik, Norway where this type of igneous rock is found. Legend has it that it came to the world?s attention i...
View full detailsTiger Eye Yellow 6mm Round Faceted Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
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 detailsWood Rhodonite 6mm Faceted Round Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
Rhodonite, whose name is derived from the Greek word for Rose, “rhodon,” is known for its pink, red and magenta hues. A Manganese inosilicate (or c...
View full detailsMixed Lodalite Quartz 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Mixed Lodolite is Quartz with inclusions of sand. These inclusions range broadly in type and color and produce patterns that can look like gardens....
View full detailsKabamby Ocean Jasper 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Named for the village near where it is found in Madagascar, Kabamby Ocean Jasper was first mined in 2002. It is known for its colors to to dark gre...
View full detailsRed Brecciated Jasper 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Red Brecciated Jasper is typically found in deep red, black, rust and cream hues, which form fragmented patterns throughout the stone. The name der...
View full detailsGraphic Feldspar 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Feldspars are a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, containing sodium, calcium, potassium or barium. The most common members of...
View full detailsRainbow Obsidian 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Rainbow Obsidian earned its name from the chatoyant, rainbow effect of light refracting off of the air buddles inside of the stone. Like all obsidi...
View full detailsRhodonite 10mm Round With Matrix - Large Hole Beads
Rhodonite, whose name is derived from the Greek word for Rose, “rhodon,” is known for its pink, red and magenta hues. A Manganese inosilicate (or c...
View full detailsBlueberry Quartz 8mm Round Faceted (Synthetic) - Large Hole Beads - CLEARANCE
Treated quartz that results in a unique blue color.
Elephant 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 detailsMookaite 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Mookaite is a variety of Jasper in colors of red, burgundy, pink, mauve, purple, yellow and white. It takes its name from Mooka Creek, near the Ken...
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 detailsSunset Dumortierite 6mm Faceted Round - Large Hole Beads
Sunset Dumortierite has a much brighter palette than regular Dumortierite, from light blue to lapis blue to cobalt, as well as some occurrences of ...
View full detailsAfrican Petrified Wood Agate 8mm Large Hole Faceted Round - 8 Inch
Petrified Wood Agate is formed from the petrifaction process of primeval trees over the course of many years. Petrification occurs when the wood is...
View full detailsBlack Silver Leaf Jasper 6mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Black Silverleaf Jasper is a rare form of Jasper, characterized by its color range of black, gray and white and its swirling, leafy patterns. It is...
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 detailsBlack Rutilated Quartz 6mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Rutilated Quartz is a silicon dioxide mineral with unique needle-like inclusions of Rutile. These “needles” usually appear golden, but can also app...
View full detailsMATTE Onyx 8mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch
Onyx is a black and white banded Chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline Quartz. It is often thought of as an all-black stone, and much of the black Onyx o...
View full detailsMATTE Bloodstone 8mm Large Hole Round - 8-Inch
Bloodstone most commonly refers to green Jasper with red inclusions consisting of Hematite. Naturally occurring in hues of blue-green to green with...
View full detailsMATTE African Turquoise 8mm Large Hole Rondelle 8-Inch
African Turquoise is not actually Turquoise, but rather a speckled teal Jasper found in Africa and often treated to simulate the beautiful blue to ...
View full detailsFossil Coral Large Hole Faceted 8mm Round - 8-inch
Fossil Coral is the prehistoric fossilized remains of the invertebrate reef builders that live in tropical oceans. Silica-rich waters create harden...
View full detailsBirds Eye Rhyolite 10mm Large Hole Round - 8-Inch
Bird’s Eye Rhyolite is named for its circular color formations of deep reds, light tans and earthtones. Rhyolite was named "streaming rock" because...
View full detailsGreen Aventurine 10mm Round Large Hole Bead 8-Inch
Green Aventurine is a green translucent quartz with glimmering metallic inclusions. Green is the most common color for Aventurine, but it can also ...
View full detailsCherry Quartz 8mm Faceted Rondelle Large Hole 8-Inch - CLEARANCE
Cherry Quartz is a manmade mixture of clear glass with swirls and flecks of deep pink. To create Cherry Quartz, glass is melted in a furnace and th...
View full detailsOpalite 8mm Faceted Large Hole Round - 8-inch - CLEARANCE
Opalite is the trade name for man to made glass treated to exhibit the internal flashes of true Opals in translucent samples, and opalescence or lu...
View full detailsRhodonite Large Hole Faceted 8mm Round - 8-inch
Rhodonite, whose name is derived from the Greek word for Rose, “rhodon,†is known for its pink, red and magenta hues. A Manganese inosilicate (...
View full detailsMatte Larvikite 10mm Round Large Hole - 8-inch - CLEARANCE
The name originates from the town of Larvik, Norway where this type of igneous rock is found. Legend has it that it came to the world?s attention i...
View full detailsTiger Eye 10mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch
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 detailsRhodonite Large Hole 10mm Round - 8-inch
Rhodonite, whose name is derived from the Greek word for Rose, “rhodon,†is known for its pink, red and magenta hues. A Manganese inosilicate (...
View full detailsYellow Jade 10mm Large Hole Round 8-Inch
Yellow Jade is not actually Jade, but a form of natural Serpentine which is commonly referred to as Yellow Jade in the stone industry. This semi to...
View full detailsMATTE Red Creek Jasper 8mm Rondelle Large Hole 8-Inch
Red Creek Jasper is named for the Red River in china where the stone was recently discovered. Its colors include burnt red, mustard yellow, olive g...
View full detailsBlue Crazy Lace Agate 8mm Rondelle 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 detailsOnyx 10mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch
Onyx is a black and white banded Chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline Quartz. It is often thought of as an all-black stone, and much of the black Onyx o...
View full detailsMixed Impression Jasper 10mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch - CLEARANCE
Mixed Impression Jasper is a composite made by fusing stone fragments using heat, pressure and a stabilizing agent or resin. The stone fragments re...
View full detailsMixed Stone 10mm Faceted Round Large Hole Bead 8-Inch
Opalite Large Hole 10mm Round - 8-inch
Opalite is the trade name for man to made glass treated to exhibit the internal flashes of true Opals in translucent samples, and opalescence or lu...
View full detailsOnyx 10mm Faceted Round Large Hole 8-Inch - CLEARANCE
Onyx is a black and white banded Chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline Quartz. It is often thought of as an all-black stone, and much of the black Onyx o...
View full detailsMATTE Tiger Eye 10mm Large Hole Round 8-Inch - CLEARANCE
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 detailsMATTE Black Gold Amazonite 8mm Large Hole Rondelle 8-Inch
Black Gold Amazonite is a member of the Feldspar family and varies in hue from robin’s egg blue to blue-green to black, occasionally mingled with r...
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 detailsLapis 6mm Round Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
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 detailsRiver Stone 5x8mm Rondelle - Large Hole Beads
River Stone is a form of limestone composed of quartz, calcium carbonate and other materials. Naturally beautiful, it offers a way to work a neutra...
View full detailsOutback Jasper 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Outback Jasper is a milky white to light pink to golden brown stone, with striking patterns that may resemble birch bark or wood grain. Jaspers are...
View full detailsRuby Zoisite 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Ruby Zoisite occurs naturally when small Ruby crystals become embedded within Zoisite. The Ruby inclusions in this stone are pink to reddish purple...
View full detailsPurple Marbled Quartz 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads - CLEARANCE
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 detailsMookaite 8mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Mookaite is a variety of Jasper in colors of red, burgundy, pink, mauve, purple, yellow and white. It takes its name from Mooka Creek, near the Ken...
View full detailsAmazonite 6mm Round A Grade Large Hole 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 detailsFrequently asked questions
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What is a large hole bead and what cord does it fit?
Large hole beads are drilled with an oversized channel — typically 2mm or larger — so cord, leather, or memory wire passes through where a standard 0.7–1mm stringing hole would not. Standard gemstone strands are drilled for beading wire and silk; large-hole strands open the option to use 1mm and 1.5mm round leather, 2mm flat leather, paracord, kumihimo bundles, and heavier silk satin cord. Always check the listed hole size against the cord diameter before buying — cord should pass freely without forcing, since stone holes do not stretch. Hole size should be disclosed; ask before buying if it isn't specified. -
What hole size do Dakota's large-hole strands carry?
Most large-hole gemstone strands in this collection are drilled at 2mm or 2.5mm, with some specialty drills running larger for thicker leather and paracord. The exact bore varies by stone, cut, and bead size — softer materials like amazonite and lapis tolerate a wider drill than harder stones like quartz at the same diameter. the listing lists the drilled hole size for each strand; if it isn't specified on a listing, ask before ordering so the bore matches your cord. For mixed-strand designs, confirm hole size on every strand rather than assuming consistency across the category. -
What are large hole beads used for?
The four common applications: leather-cord bracelets and necklaces (1mm–2mm round or flat leather), kumihimo braids where the finished cord threads through a focal or end bead, memory wire bracelets that use 0.6–1mm wire but benefit from looser bead fit, and European-style charm bracelets built on heavier chain or cable. Large-hole strands also work for macramé spacers, paracord survival bracelets, and any design where the cord, not a beading needle, carries the bead. The wider channel changes the drape — beads sit looser on cord than tight-strung designs, which is part of the intended look. -
Which gemstones are available with large holes?
The category spans quartz varieties (clear, rose, smoky), jaspers, agates, amazonite, amethyst, larvikite, tiger eye, lapis, garnet, and freshwater pearl, among others. Round is the dominant cut at 8mm and 6mm, with rondelles and faceted rounds also well represented. Availability shifts as strands sell through, so the exact stone-by-size mix changes — filter by stone or cut from the collection page, or check the active listing for the size and hole bore you need. Softer stones generally drill to wider bores more reliably than harder, brittle materials, which affects which stones appear in 2.5mm+ drill sizes. -
How do bead diameter and hole size relate for cord fit?
Bead diameter and hole size are independent specs — an 8mm round can be drilled at 1mm or 2.5mm depending on the strand. For cord work, the hole bore is what matters: 1.5mm leather needs roughly a 2mm hole to pass cleanly, and 2mm leather wants a 2.5mm bore or larger. Diameter affects drape and visual weight, not whether the cord fits. A common build is 8mm rounds on 1.5mm leather, or 6mm rounds for finer cord and lighter wrists. Check the listed hole size on each listing before matching to cord, and account for knots or crimps at the cord ends.