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: 288
Lapis 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 detailsLapis 8mm Round Faceted Large Hole Bead 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 detailsLapis Large Hole 8mm Rondelle - 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 detailsLapis Natural 4X6mm Rondelle Faceted - Large Hole Beads
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 detailsLarvikite 6mm Faceted Round Large Hole Beads - 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 detailsLarvikite 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 detailsLarvikite Large Hole 8mm Round - 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 detailsLarvikite Natural 6mm Round Large Hole Beads - 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 detailsLava 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Lava is rock from the molten center of the earth, once spewed through fractures in the planetary crust or from a volcanic eruption. Once cooled, th...
View full detailsLava 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Lava is rock from the molten center of the earth, once spewed through fractures in the planetary crust or from a volcanic eruption. Once cooled, th...
View full detailsLavender Amethyst 8mm Faceted Rondelle Large Hole (2-2.5mm) 8-Inch
Lavender Amethyst is a transparent lavender variety of Amethyst, which forms in geodes and is generally found in clusters of crystal points. The pr...
View full detailsLemurian Aquatine Calcite 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Calcite is the one of the most common minerals. It occurs in a great variety of shapes and colors, and it constitutes a major portion of many of th...
View full detailsLemurian Aquatine Calcite 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Calcite is the one of the most common minerals. It occurs in a great variety of shapes and colors, and it constitutes a major portion of many of th...
View full detailsLepidolite 8mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
A particularly soft stone, Lepidolite has a glassy or lustrous sheen. It is the most abundant lithium-bearing mineral as well as a significant sour...
View full detailsMarbled Quartz 6mm Round Faceted - 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 detailsMarbled Quartz 8mm Round Faceted - 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 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 detailsMATTE African Turquoise 8mm Large Hole Round 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-gre...
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 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 Lapis Large Hole 8mm Rondelle - 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 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 detailsMatte Larvikite 6mm 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 detailsMatte Larvikite 8mm Rondelle 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 detailsMatte Larvikite 8mm Round Faceted 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 detailsMATTE Picture Jasper 8mm Large Hole Rondelle 8-Inch - CLEARANCE
Picture Jasper is a form of brown Jasper characterized by its unique banding and flow patterns created by petrified or silicate mud and occasional ...
View full detailsMATTE Red Creek Jasper 8mm Large Hole Round 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 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 detailsMATTE Red Jasper 8mm Large Hole Round - 8-Inch
MATTE Rose Quartz 8mm Large Hole Rondelle 8-Inch
Rose Quartz is a silicon dioxide crystal and one of the most common varieties of the Quartz family. It is a translucent to transparent stone with a...
View full detailsMATTE Sodalite 8mm Large Hole Rondelle 8-Inch
MATTE White Howlite 8mm Large Hole Round 8-Inch
White Howlite is named for Canadian mineralogist Henry How, who first discovered the stone in Southern California in 1868. It is typically white or...
View full detailsMixed Dark Lepidocrocite 5x8mm Large Hole Faceted Rondelle - 8 Inch
An iron oxide-hydroxide mineral, Lepidocrocite forms when iron-containing substances rust underwater. It is commonly found in the weathering of pri...
View full detailsMixed Dark Lepidocrocite 6mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
An iron oxide-hydroxide mineral, Lepidocrocite forms when iron-containing substances rust underwater. It is commonly found in the weathering of pri...
View full detailsMixed Dark Lepidocrocite 8mm Large Hole Faceted Round - 8 Inch
An iron oxide-hydroxide mineral, Lepidocrocite forms when iron-containing substances rust underwater. It is commonly found in the weathering of pri...
View full detailsMixed Dark Lepidocrocite 8mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
An iron oxide-hydroxide mineral, Lepidocrocite forms when iron-containing substances rust underwater. It is commonly found in the weathering of pri...
View full detailsMixed Lodalite Quartz 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads - CLEARANCE
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 detailsMixed Lodalite Quartz 6mm Faceted Rondelle - 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 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 detailsMixed Lodalite Quartz 8mm 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 detailsMixed Moonstone Natural 4X6mm Rondelle Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Rainbow Moonstone is named for its moon-like glow or chatoyancy, as well as a prismatic quality that differentiates it from other varieties of Moon...
View full detailsMixed Stone 10mm Faceted Round Large Hole Bead 8-Inch
Mixed Stone 10mm Round Large Hole Bead 8-Inch
Mixed Stone 6mm Round Faceted Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
Stones will vary by inventory. Approximate Hole Diameter: 2mm
Mixed Stone 8mm Faceted Rondelle Large Hole 8-Inch
Mixed Stone 8mm Large Hole Faceted Round - 8-Inch
Mixed Stone 8mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Mookaite 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...
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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.