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.
Large Hole Gemstone Beads for Jewelry Making & Crafting
Products: 282
Outback 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 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 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 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 detailsIron Zebra Jasper 10x14mm Barrel - Large Hole Beads
Iron Zebra Jasper displays streaks or stripes of colors ranging from dark, rich browns and grays to lighter golden browns and creams. It has charac...
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 detailsMookaite 6mm 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 detailsUnakite 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Unakite is a granite composed of pink Feldspar and Epidote, creating a beautiful blend of pink and green in mottled patterns. The colors in this st...
View full detailsPietersite 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 detailsAmethyst 8mm Round Faceted Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
Amethyst is a beautiful purple stone, known as a “Gem of Fire” by ancient cultures. It has been greatly sought after throughout history and was at ...
View full detailsAmethyst 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Amethyst is a beautiful purple stone, known as a “Gem of Fire” by ancient cultures. It has been greatly sought after throughout history and was at ...
View full detailsFreshwater Pearl 9mm White Potato Beads with 2mm Large Hole - 8 Inch
Unlike most gemstones found within the Earth, pearls are organic. Simply, they grow inside the shells of certain species of oysters and clams. Some...
View full detailsBlack Silver Leaf Jasper 8mm 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 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 detailsOrange Garnet 8mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Orange or Hessonite Garnet is sometimes called “Cinnamon Stone” for its orange to orange to brown color as well as for its origin in the land of sp...
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 detailsSmoky Quartz 10x14mm Barrel - Large Hole Beads
Smoky Quartz is a translucent smoky brown or gray variety of Quartz. It ranges from almost completely transparent to an almost opaque brownish to g...
View full detailsPietersite 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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 detailsGolden Obsidian 10x14mm Barrel - Large Hole Beads
Golden Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass, shiny black with a golden sheen. Obsidian is produced when lava erupts from a volcano and ...
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 detailsBotswana Agate 6mm 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 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 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 detailsKabamby Ocean Jasper 10mm 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 detailsFreshwater Pearl 7-8mm Mix Potato Beads with 2mm Large Hole - 8 inch
Unlike most gemstones found within the Earth, pearls are organic. Simply, they grow inside the shells of certain species of oysters and clams. Some...
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 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 detailsFreshwater Pearl 10-11mm Mix Potato Beads with 2mm Large Hole - 8 Inch
Unlike most gemstones found within the Earth, pearls are organic. Simply, they grow inside the shells of certain species of oysters and clams. Some...
View full detailsBlack Rutilated Quartz 8mm 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 detailsRainbow Jade 6mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Jade refers to an ornamental mineral, mostly known for its green varieties. Jade has been used for tens of thousands of years, initially as tools b...
View full detailsBlack Sunstone 8mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Sunstone, a variety of Feldspar, is aptly named for its shades of gold, orange, red and brown, as well as its iridescent sparkle. As the stone catc...
View full detailsIndigo Gabbro 8mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Indigo gabbro is a color variant of the igneous mineral, gabbro. Typically, this color forms black, but occasionally gabbro comes in oranges and gr...
View full detailsRuby Zoisite 6mm Round Faceted - 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 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 detailsIolite 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Iolite most commonly occurs in shades of blue to gray, violet or indigo. It displays a visual property called “pleochroism,” which means that it ca...
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 detailsRainbow Jade 8mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Jade refers to an ornamental mineral, mostly known for its green varieties. Jade has been used for tens of thousands of years, initially as tools b...
View full detailsIolite 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Iolite most commonly occurs in shades of blue to gray, violet or indigo. It displays a visual property called “pleochroism,” which means that it ca...
View full detailsFreshwater Pearl 10mm White Rice Beads with 2mm Large Hole - 8 Inch
Unlike most gemstones found within the Earth, pearls are organic. Simply, they grow inside the shells of certain species of oysters and clams. Some...
View full detailsIndigo Gabbro 6mm Large Hole Round - 8 Inch
Indigo gabbro is a color variant of the igneous mineral, gabbro. Typically, this color forms black, but occasionally gabbro comes in oranges and gr...
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 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 detailsAfrican Petrified Wood Agate 5x8mm Large Hole Faceted Rondelle - 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 detailsFreshwater Pearl 9-10mm Silver Potato Beads with 2mm Large Hole - 8 Inch
Unlike most gemstones found within the Earth, pearls are organic. Simply, they grow inside the shells of certain species of oysters and clams. Some...
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 detailsPink Opal 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
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 detailsMixed Lodalite Quartz 10mm 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 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.