Common Bead and Gemstone Shapes
When ordering gemstones or beads, you may need a better idea of what certain shape descriptions are. Below are basic descriptions, with photos that illustrate beads and gemstones in these common shapes.
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Barrel |
Bicone |
Briolette |
Barrel or Drum - round with flat ends. Shown is a hematite barrel. Barrels are very common in Bali silver, and are smooth to the touch, thus desirable for bracelets that slide on the wrist.
Bicone - named such because it resembles two cones with the flat ends together. Also referred to as Rondelle. Most commonly used shape for Swarovski crystals.
Briolette - teardrop shaped gemstone or crystal, can be flat or rounded. They can be faceted or have a smooth surface. Shown are a flat Jasper Briolette and a round Swarovski Briolette. Briolettes can be strung directly on Beading Wire, or wrapped with lightweight wire for hanging as a pendant or dangle.
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Chip |
Cube |
Oval |
Chip - irregularly shaped, generally unfinished except for polishing. Usually come from lower grade than faceted or shaped stones, but color and quality can be good. Gemstone chips are inexpensive in comparison with faceted or shaped stones. Shown are three Peridot chips from the same strand, showing the difference in shape and size.
Cube - square bead, diagonally (corner to corner) or side-to-side drilled. Cubes add a new dimension in shape and depth to necklaces and bracelets, tiny cubes make nice dangles for earrings. Shown are Siam Swarovski (side-to-side drilled) and Black Stone (diagonally drilled).
Oval - longer than they are wide, ovals come in a variety of sizes. Usually drilled end to end. Shown are Czech clear AB oval beads.
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Round |
Wafer |
Round - common shape in gemstones, man-made beads and crystals, rounds can be smooth or faceted. Shown are yellow Cat's Eye faceted and Swarovski clear round.
Wafer - slightly rounded with flat ends, wafers are the same shape as Barrel or Drum, but shorter in length. Wafers can be used as spacers or alone. Shown are six magnetic Hematite wafers.
Of course, this is only a small sample of shapes and cuts for beads and gemstones. Glass beads can be pressed into any shape imaginable, and gemstones can be cut into stars, flat squares and numerous other shapes.
