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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.

Australian Green Opal 8mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE

Original price $45.00 - Original price $45.00
Original price $45.00
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Current price $45.00
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Australian Green Opal is a variety of Common Opal which is a mixture of Opal and nontronite. Common Opal is generally opaque, without the play of c...

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Original price $45.00 - Original price $45.00
Original price $45.00
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Current price $45.00
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Shungite Faceted 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $28.00 - Original price $28.00
Original price
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Current price $28.00
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Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of a high percentage of carbon. It was first found in a deposit near Shunga vi...

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Current price $28.00
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Australian Boulder Opal Faceted 3mm Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
Original price $32.00
$32.00 - $32.00
Current price $32.00
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Boulder Opal is a golden-brown to dark brown stone, displaying these colors in patterns of parallel bands. It is considered a precious Opal, and fo...

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Original price $32.00 - Original price $32.00
Original price $32.00
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Current price $32.00
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Tanzanite 3mm Round Faceted AAA Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $37.00 - Original price $37.00
Original price $37.00
$37.00 - $37.00
Current price $37.00
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Tanzanite is both extremely rare and extremely attractive, and we offer it when we can.

Original price $37.00 - Original price $37.00
Original price $37.00
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Current price $37.00
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Iolite 10mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE

Original price $30.00 - Original price $30.00
Original price $30.00
$30.00 - $30.00
Current price $30.00
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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...

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Original price $30.00 - Original price $30.00
Original price $30.00
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Current price $30.00
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Australian Boulder Opal Faceted 5mm Round - 15-16 inch

Original price $52.00 - Original price $52.00
Original price $52.00
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Current price $52.00
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Boulder Opal is a golden-brown to dark brown stone, displaying these colors in patterns of parallel bands. It is considered a precious Opal, and fo...

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Original price $52.00 - Original price $52.00
Original price $52.00
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Current price $52.00
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Opalite Pink (Synthetic) 8mm Faceted Round - 15-16 inch - CLEARANCE

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
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Current price $22.00
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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...

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Current price $22.00
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Morganite 4mm Round Faceted AA Grade Banded - 15-16 inch

Original price $37.00 - Original price $37.00
Original price $37.00
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Current price $37.00
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Morganite gets its pink hue from the presence of manganese or cesium in the stone. It's actually a pink variety of Beryl -- the family of gemstones...

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Current price $37.00
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Seraphinite 3mm Round Faceted A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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Seraphinite's chatoyancy (optical reflectance) gives it a feathery appearance associated with angels (also known as seraphim.) Seraphinite is most ...

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Current price $24.00
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Hubei Turquoise Banded Brown/Blue/Black/Olive 3mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch

Original price $20.00 - Original price $20.00
Original price $20.00
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Current price $20.00
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Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...

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Original price $20.00 - Original price $20.00
Original price $20.00
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Current price $20.00
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Alashan Agate 4mm Microfaceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $16.00 - Original price $16.00
Original price $16.00
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Current price $16.00
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Original price $16.00 - Original price $16.00
Original price $16.00
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Current price $16.00
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Aquamarine Natural 3mm Faceted Round AAA Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $17.00 - Original price $17.00
Original price $17.00
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Current price $17.00
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Aquamarine is a transparent to translucent stone ranging from cerulean blue to light blue in higher grades. In lower grades it can be transparent t...

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Current price $17.00
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Blue Apatite 10mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE

Original price $47.00 - Original price $47.00
Original price $47.00
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Current price $47.00
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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...

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Current price $47.00
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Hubei Turquoise 2mm Blue/Matrix/Green/Brown Round Faceted Banded - 15-16 Inch

Original price $25.00 - Original price $25.00
Original price $25.00
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Current price $25.00
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Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...

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Original price $25.00 - Original price $25.00
Original price $25.00
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Current price $25.00
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Rainbow Sapphire 4mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch

Original price $28.00 - Original price $28.00
Original price $28.00
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Current price $28.00
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Sapphires are precious gemstones, but unlike rubies, they come in a rainbow of colors besides red!  They are all varieties of the mineral corundum,...

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Current price $28.00
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Green Rutilated Quartz 4mm Microfaceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $11.00 - Original price $11.00
Original price $11.00
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Current price $11.00
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Rutilated Quartz is a silicon dioxide mineral with unique needle-like inclusions of Rutile. These “needles” usually appear golden, but can also app...

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Larimar 3mm Faceted Round AA Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $46.00 - Original price $46.00
Original price $46.00
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Current price $46.00
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Larimar is a translucent blue, turquoise and white stone that can have streaks and patterns of white, as well as red or brown either from oxidation...

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Citrine 2mm Faceted Round Banded - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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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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Opalite Pink (Synthetic) 10mm Faceted Round - 15-16 inch - CLEARANCE

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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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...

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Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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Golden Sunstone 10mm Round Faceted A Grade - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE

Original price $63.00 - Original price $63.00
Original price $63.00
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Current price $63.00
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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...

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Original price $63.00 - Original price $63.00
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Current price $63.00
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Lapis 8mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch

Original price $33.00 - Original price $33.00
Original price $33.00
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Current price $33.00
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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...

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Orange Garnet 6mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
Original price $22.00
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Current price $22.00
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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...

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Green Apatite 4mm Faceted Round Banded - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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Green Apatite is a transparent to translucent stone that may be green, yellow to green or sea to green in color. Apatite has been labeled the “dece...

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Blue Tourmaline 4mm Microfaceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $33.00 - Original price $33.00
Original price $33.00
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Current price $33.00
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Blue Tourmaline ranges in color from green to blue to yellow to green with black, milky white and clear, colorless inclusions. It is an aluminum bo...

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Original price $33.00 - Original price $33.00
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Current price $33.00
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Silver Obsidian 4mm Microfaceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $10.00 - Original price $10.00
Original price $10.00
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Current price $10.00
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Essentially a volcanic glass, Obsidian ranges in color from opaque black, to green, brown, mahogany, black with rainbow colors, black with snowflak...

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Rhodochrosite 3mm Microfaceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $21.00 - Original price $21.00
Original price $21.00
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Current price $21.00
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Rhodochrosite is a bubblegum pink to rose red stone, with occasional inclusions of creamy white and dark grey. A manganese carbonate material of th...

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Peruvian Turquoise (Chrysocolla) 4mm Microfaceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $22.00 - Original price $22.00
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Current price $22.00
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Peruvian Turquoise is also known as Turquoise Chrysocolla. It’s attractive blue-green provides a unique color to the mineral world. Peruvian Turquo...

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Brazilian Amazonite 8mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads

Original price $23.00 - Original price $23.00
Original price $23.00
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Current price $23.00
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Brazilian Amazonite is an opaque blue to green to light green stone, often occurring with inclusions of white, yellow or gray and occasionally tran...

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Pink Opal 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads

Original price $23.00 - Original price $23.00
Original price $23.00
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Current price $23.00
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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...

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Crystal Quartz 8mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads

Original price $21.00 - Original price $21.00
Original price $21.00
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Current price $21.00
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Crystal Quartz is a naturally occurring clear and colorless Quartz. It is a crystalline form of Quartz said to have many divine properties includin...

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Iolite 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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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...

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Current price $24.00
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Orange Garnet 6mm Faceted Round - 8-Inch

Original price $11.00 - Original price $11.00
Original price $11.00
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Current price $11.00
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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...

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Original price $11.00 - Original price $11.00
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Current price $11.00
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Rhodochrosite 4mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch

Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
Original price $24.00
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Current price $24.00
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Rhodochrosite is a bubblegum pink to rose red stone, with occasional inclusions of creamy white and dark grey. A manganese carbonate material of th...

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Original price $24.00 - Original price $24.00
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Green Garnet 4mm Microfaceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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Green Garnet can be among the most valuable of garnets, which come in a variety of colors. Occurring in sizes ranging from a grain of sand to the s...

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Labradorite 4mm Microfaceted Round AAA Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $15.00 - Original price $15.00
Original price $15.00
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Current price $15.00
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Labradorite is remarkable for the way its aggregate layers refract light, creating iridescent flashes of blue, gold, pale green or copper red. This...

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Pink Tourmaline with Lepidolite 4mm Microfaceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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Pink Tourmaline ranges in color from light pink to deep magenta, with inclusions of white to colorless translucent or transparent. Tourmaline occur...

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Pietersite 4mm Microfaceted Round - 15-16 Inch

Original price $14.00 - Original price $14.00
Original price $14.00
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Current price $14.00
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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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Australian Chrysoprase 3mm Round Faceted A Grade Banded - 15-16 Inch

Original price $26.00 - Original price $26.00
Original price $26.00
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Current price $26.00
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Chrysoprase is a bright apple green, translucent stone, whose color often caused ancient jewelers to confuse it with Emerald. A cryptocrystalline C...

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Diopside 4mm Round Faceted A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $52.00 - Original price $52.00
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Current price $52.00
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Diopside is a calcium and magnesium silicate mineral. It is transparent or translucent, and can display a nearly emerald green color due to the pre...

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Hubei Turquoise Banded Blue/Brown/Black 4mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch

Original price $35.00 - Original price $35.00
Original price $35.00
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Current price $35.00
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Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...

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Original price $35.00 - Original price $35.00
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Current price $35.00
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Emerald 4mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch

Original price $40.00 - Original price $40.00
Original price $40.00
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Emerald is one of the four “precious” gemstones, the others being Diamond, Ruby and Sapphire. It is the green form of Beryl, colored by trace amoun...

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Tektite Natural 8mm Round Faceted - 15-16 Inch

Original price $165.00 - Original price $165.00
Original price $165.00
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Current price $165.00
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Tektite is a natural glass formed by meteorite collisions with Earth. When moving through the Earth’s atmosphere, a meteorite builds up heat that i...

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Blue Topaz 6mm Faceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $41.00 - Original price $41.00
Original price $41.00
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Current price $41.00
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Topaz is a rare silicate mineral and obtains much of its popularity from its beautiful colors and its status as a birthstone. Topaz occurs in a wi...

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Blue Topaz 4mm Microfaceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $18.00 - Original price $18.00
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Current price $18.00
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Topaz is a rare silicate mineral and obtains much of its popularity from its beautiful colors and its status as a birthstone. Topaz occurs in a wi...

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Morocco Red Agate 4mm Microfaceted Round - 15-16 Inch

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Original price $11.00 - Original price $11.00
Original price $11.00
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Morocco Agate occurs in striking colors of red, white, golden tan, gray and purple, in a variety of swirling and linear patterns. Like other Agates...

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Tourmaline 8mm Faceted Round Large Hole - 8-inch

Original price $29.00 - Original price $29.00
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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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Ruby Zoisite 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads

Original price $15.00 - Original price $15.00
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Current price $15.00
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Ruby Zoisite occurs naturally when small Ruby crystals become embedded within Zoisite. The Ruby inclusions in this stone are pink to reddish purple...

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Ruby and Sapphire 8mm Faceted Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch

Original price $80.00 - Original price $80.00
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Ruby has long been considered one of the most beautiful and valuable gemstones on the planet. It is also one of the hardest, second only to Diamond...

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About this cut

Round bead shape diagram
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

  • 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.