Round Beads
Round beads are the workhorse—and showpiece—of jewelry design. Our All Rounds collection spans more than 100 natural stone types, each offered in graduated sizes from 4 mm to 12 mm so you can build seamless strands, stackable bracelets, or accent rows without hunting for a match.
What sets Dakota rounds apart is the one-batch method: we cut every size you see from the same parcel of rough, then sort by diameter in a single production run. That “Dakota Way” means a 6 mm lapis bead and its 10 mm big brother share identical hue and pattern, giving finished pieces a professional, color-true flow.
Every sphere is diamond-ground to perfect symmetry, hand-polished for a glassy finish, and visually graded to Dakota Stones standards before it ships. Stock up on crowd-pleasers like Amazonite, Kyanite, Jasper, and Quartz—or branch into rarities such as Variscite or Shattuckite—confident that each round will string, drape, and wear with the consistency designers trust.
Yellow Jade 8mm Faceted Large Hole Round - 8-Inch
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$13.00
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$13.00
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$13.00
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-tr...
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$13.00
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$13.00
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$13.00
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$13.00
Yellow Jade 8mm Large Hole Round - 8-Inch
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$12.00
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$12.00
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$12.00
$12.00
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$12.00
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 details
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$12.00
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$12.00
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$12.00
$12.00
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$12.00
Yellow Jade 8mm Round - 8-Inch
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$8.00
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$8.00
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$8.00
$8.00
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$8.00
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-tr...
View full details
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$8.00
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$8.00
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$8.00
$8.00
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$8.00
Yellow Jade 4mm Round - 8-Inch
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$6.00
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$6.00
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$6.00
$6.00
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$6.00
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-tr...
View full details
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$6.00
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$6.00
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$6.00
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$6.00
Yellow Jade 6mm Round 8-Inch
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$7.00
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$7.00
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$7.00
$7.00
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$7.00
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-tr...
View full details
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$7.00
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$7.00
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$7.00
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$7.00
Yellow Jade 10mm Large Hole Round 8-Inch
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
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 details
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
$14.00
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$14.00
Pietersite 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$37.00
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$37.00
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$37.00
$37.00
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$37.00
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...
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$37.00
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$37.00
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$37.00
Yellow Jasper 4mm Round 15-16 Inch
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
Yellow Jasper is a golden brown stone with patterns that appear strikingly similar to wood grain. Jasper has a long and illustrious history, having...
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$10.00
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Yellow Opal Faceted AA-Grade Banded 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$19.00
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$19.00
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$19.00
Yellow Opal is transparent to opaque, milky white to pale yellow in color. It sometimes features dark brown to black dendritic inclusions that bran...
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$19.00
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$19.00
Heliodor 10mm Round Yellow - 15-16 Inch
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$41.00
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$41.00
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$41.00
$41.00
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$41.00
Heliodor is a yellow, greenish yellow, or golden-yellow color of the mineral beryl. The yellowish colors of heliodor are usually caused by small am...
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$41.00
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$41.00
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$41.00
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$41.00
Yellow Tourmaline 3mm Faceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
Tourmaline is classified as a semiprecious stone and occurs in a vast array of colors, everything from colorless to black, from pastel to bright to...
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$18.00
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$18.00
Yellow Calcite 8mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
Calcite is a rock-forming mineral that is extremely common and found throughout the world in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Calcite i...
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$14.00
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Yellow Calcite 6mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$11.00
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$11.00
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$11.00
$11.00
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$11.00
Calcite is a rock-forming mineral that is extremely common and found throughout the world in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Calcite i...
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$11.00
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$11.00
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$11.00
Yellow Calcite 4mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$10.00
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$10.00
$10.00
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$10.00
Calcite is a rock-forming mineral that is extremely common and found throughout the world in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Calcite i...
View full details
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
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$10.00
Citrine 10mm Round AAA Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$58.00
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$58.00
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$58.00
$58.00
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$58.00
Citrine is a transparent Quartz, ranging in color from pale yellow to golden yellow, honey or brown, giving it a similar appearance to Topaz. It ma...
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$58.00
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Yellow Calcite 10mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
$18.00
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$18.00
Calcite is a rock-forming mineral that is extremely common and found throughout the world in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Calcite i...
View full details
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
Selenite 6mm Round Green Yellow (Dyed) - 15-16 Inch
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$18.00
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$18.00
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Selenite is a crystal formed from the mineral gypsum, which comes in many forms and color variations, but has been used historically to describe th...
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$18.00
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Lemon Quartz 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$22.00
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$22.00
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$22.00
Lemon Quartz is a trade name for color-enhanced yellow quartz. Gamma ray irradiation, followed by a mild heat treatment gives it the bright yellow ...
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$22.00
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$22.00
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$22.00
Heliodor 10mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$72.00
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$72.00
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$72.00
$72.00
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$72.00
Heliodor is a yellow, greenish yellow, or golden-yellow color of the mineral beryl. The yellowish colors of heliodor are usually caused by small am...
View full details
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$72.00
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$72.00
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$72.00
$72.00
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$72.00
Selenite 10mm Round Green Yellow (Dyed) - 15-16 Inch
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$27.00
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$27.00
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$27.00
$27.00
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$27.00
Selenite is a crystal formed from the mineral gypsum, which comes in many forms and color variations, but has been used historically to describe th...
View full details
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$27.00
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$27.00
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$27.00
$27.00
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$27.00
Lemon Quartz 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
Lemon Quartz is a trade name for color-enhanced yellow quartz. Gamma ray irradiation, followed by a mild heat treatment gives it the bright yellow ...
View full details
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
Yellow and Green Aqua Impression Jasper 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
Impression Jasper naturally occurs in colors of tan, pale blue to green and crimson, in striking patterns. It is often color to enhanced to bring o...
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$18.00
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Selenite 8mm Round Green Yellow (Dyed) - 15-16 Inch
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$22.00
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$22.00
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$22.00
$22.00
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$22.00
Selenite is a crystal formed from the mineral gypsum, which comes in many forms and color variations, but has been used historically to describe th...
View full details
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$22.00
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$22.00
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$22.00
$22.00
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$22.00
Yellow Opal 6mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
$26.00
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$26.00
Yellow Opal is transparent to opaque, milky white to pale yellow in color. It sometimes features dark brown to black dendritic inclusions that bran...
View full details
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
$26.00
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$26.00
About this cut
Cut name
Round
Drill style
Center-drilled
Typical sizes
8mm6mm4mm10mm3mm2mm12mm5mm
Stones in this cut
AgateJasperQuartzTurquoiseGarnetTourmalineMoonstoneOpalDZI AgateTiger EyeAmazoniteSapphire
Common uses
stretch braceletsmala and prayer-style strandsclassic beaded necklacesmulti-strand layered designsknotted silk or cord necklacesuniform color-block sections in mixed-cut workmen's beaded bracelets in 8mm and 10mm
Related cuts
Faceted Round, Microfaceted Round, Oval
Design notes
Round is the most forgiving cut to design around — predictable diameter, predictable drill, predictable drape. Scale by wrist or neck: 6mm and 8mm cover most adult bracelet work, 4mm reads delicate on a necklace, 10mm+ carries as statement scale. Rounds pair cleanly with faceted rondelles, heishi, or metal spacers when you want textural contrast without breaking the silhouette. For stones with strong pattern, smooth round shows the material better than the faceted-round sibling cut; for uniform-color stones, faceted rounds add sparkle the smooth cut can't.
Frequently asked questions
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What is a smooth round gemstone bead?
A round bead is a sphere cut from gemstone rough and polished smooth — no facets, no flat edges. Standard rounds are center-drilled straight through the bead so the hole runs pole-to-pole. The geometry makes them the most predictable cut to design with: they sit cleanly on flex wire, stack uniformly on stretch cord, and read as a clean color block without the light play of a faceted surface. Rounds are typically calibrated to nominal sizes (4mm, 6mm, 8mm) within standard trade tolerances, though softer or more fractured stones can vary a half-millimeter strand to strand. -
What sizes does Dakota stock in round?
Round is Dakota's deepest cut by volume. Current stock concentrates in 8mm (554 strands), 6mm (477), 4mm (353), and 10mm (342) — the four sizes that cover most beaded jewelry work. Smaller 2mm and 3mm rounds (54 and 140 strands) work for accent spacers and fine-gauge stringing. 12mm (50) and 5mm (28) are stocked in narrower stone selections. Sizes are nominal; actual diameter can run ±0.3mm depending on the stone and lot, so for tight calibration work pull from a single strand where possible. -
What stones come in round cut?
Almost every stone Dakota carries is available as round somewhere in the range. The deepest selections are agate (195 strands across varieties), jasper (149), quartz (134 — clear, smoky, rose, rutilated, and more), and turquoise (107). Garnet (68), tourmaline (64), moonstone (58), opal (55), DZI agate (53), and tiger eye (48) all hold meaningful stock. Less common stones may only appear in one or two sizes — if you need a specific stone-size pairing, filter the collection or check the size tags on individual products before ordering. -
What jewelry work are round beads best for?
Rounds are the default cut for stretch bracelets, mala-style strands, classic beaded necklaces, and anywhere you want the stone's color and pattern to read without faceted sparkle. They sit predictably next to metal spacers, knot cleanly between cord, and don't catch on fabric the way faceted edges can. 6mm and 8mm are the workhorse sizes for adult bracelets; 4mm suits layered necklaces and children's pieces; 10mm and 12mm carry as statement strands or focal sections. For mixed-cut designs, smooth rounds pair well with faceted rondelles or heishi as a textural counterpoint. -
Smooth round vs faceted round — how do I choose?
Smooth rounds emphasize the stone itself — color, pattern, inclusions, chatoyancy. Faceted rounds (a separate cut in the catalog) cut small flat planes across the sphere to add light return, which reads as sparkle but slightly mutes the underlying pattern. For stones with strong figure — ocean jasper, dendritic agate, picture jasper, moss agate — smooth round shows the material better. For uniformly colored stones — garnet, amethyst, smoky quartz — faceted rounds add visible movement. Both drill the same way, so they swap cleanly in a design if you want to test the difference on a sample strand.