Handmade gemstone jewelry - bead shapes - a primer - round beads

As you know, gemstone beads come in a wide variety of shapes. These shapes add to the beauty and interest of the gemstones and help the designer create unique jewelry.

The round, or sphere shape is the most common and most basic shape. It certainly shows off the gemstone and is the most versatile. It also is a relatively inexpensive cut, and the one that I find is the least likely to be messed up by the stone cutters. Many people who work with gems for healing purposes feel that this shape helps the gemstone emit it's energy most effectively. Really pretty gemstones look beautiful in this plain, round shape, and in some cases it almost ruins the beauty of the stone to do a more complicated cut. The down side to this shape is that unless the stone is quite beautiful it may not create an interesting look. Some round beads remind me of the marbles I had as a kid, or pop-it beads.

Round faceted beads are simply round beads that are cut in facets, or planes on the stone. Faceting makes stones a little more interesting and give some extra sparkle as the light reflects from the facets. Faceted beads are always considerably more expensive than beads that are not faceted, regardless of the basic shape. This is because there is a lot more work involved to cut all those facets! Each facet is a cut made by the stone cutter. Faceting does add interest and beauty to most gemstones. But, as always, it all comes down to personal preference.I'll write more about other gemstone shapes in future blogs.