A gemstone bead necklace is a strand of natural stones cut into beads, whether faceted, smooth, nuggets or heishi, and strung or hand knotted into a necklace, and the best ones come down to natural color, careful cutting and a finish made to last. When you are choosing one, look at the stones first, then the bead size and length, and then turn the strand over and look at the clasp, because that tells you how it will hold up to years of wearing.
Gemstone strands can look so similar in a photo and so different once they are in your hands, so I wanted to put everything I look at when I choose a strand in one place, using the peridot strand I have available right now as the example.
What makes a gemstone bead necklace good quality?
For me it always starts with the stones themselves. I look for color that feels alive, light moving through each bead when the stone is translucent, and the little natural variations from bead to bead that tell you the color came from the earth and not from dye. I pass on strands that look dull or cloudy and on stones with heavy cracks, and I do not buy dyed stones at all, though small natural inclusions are welcome because they give a stone its character.
Then I look at the cutting, which matters just as much as the color. When stones are rushed through the cutting process you can see it in the finished strand, in beads that are uneven, drill holes that run crooked, and sometimes a bead with two drill holes because the cutter started in the wrong place and had to try again. A well cut strand has beads that sit evenly next to each other and graduate smoothly if they change in size, and that is what lets a necklace drape softly instead of kinking or twisting.
Faceted, smooth, nugget or heishi: which bead shape should you choose?
There is no right answer here, only the look you love most. Faceted beads have tiny cut surfaces that catch the light and sparkle every time you move, which is why a faceted strand can look bright from across a room. Smooth rondelles and rounds show off glow and depth instead of sparkle, nuggets keep more of the natural shape of the stone so every bead is a little different from its neighbor, and heishi are thin disc shaped beads that stack closely together into a sleek, textured line.
My peridot strand is faceted heishi, and with so many little facets packed together, that bright green with a slightly olive tone flickers along the whole necklace whenever it catches the light.
What bead size and necklace length should you choose?
Bead size changes the whole personality of a necklace. Tiny beads around 2 to 4mm feel dainty and layer easily with gold chains, beads around 6 to 8mm read as a statement on their own, and a graduated strand, where the beads change size along the necklace, gives a softer and more textured look. The peridot ranges from about 4 to 7mm, so it has that lovely variation without ever feeling heavy.
For length, 16 inches sits close at the base of the neck, 17 to 18 inches lands right around the collarbone, which is the easiest everyday spot for most people, and 19 to 20 inches falls a little lower and looks beautiful over a crew neck or layered under a shorter strand. The peridot is 17 inches, so it sits just at the collarbone and shows off nicely with an open collar or a simple tee.
Should a gemstone bead necklace be knotted or strung?
Both can be beautiful, and it really depends on the stones. Small, dainty beads can be strung on wire, while larger and heavier stones look and wear better hand knotted on silk, with a little knot between every bead to keep the stones from rubbing against each other and to keep them from scattering if a strand ever breaks. I went through the difference in Beaded vs. Knotted Gemstone Strands and everything silk knotting does in Why Are Gemstone Necklaces Knotted With Silk?, so I will let those posts tell that part of the story.
Whichever way a strand is made, turn it over and look at the ends. Solid gold clasps and solid gold French wire, the tiny coil that protects the silk where it meets the clasp, are what let a necklace be worn every day for years, so the findings deserve just as much attention as the stones.
Why does peridot make such a pretty bead necklace?
Peridot is the gem variety of olivine, a mineral that has even been found in meteorites, and it is also the August birthstone, with a fresh green color that looks gorgeous against yellow gold. I shared more about its cosmic side in The Meteorite Stone: Peridot if you want the longer story.
My Peridot Beaded Gemstone Necklace is made of faceted peridot heishi in a bright green with a slightly olive tone, about 4 to 7mm, which gives it that wonderful textured look. It is accented with 18k white gold and finished in 14k yellow gold throughout, including the clasp, French wire and my engraved heart tag. It is 17 inches long, it is $2,250, and it is one of one. You can see every strand I have available right now in my gemstone beaded necklaces collection.
If you would rather wear a deeper, moodier color, my Smoky Quartz Strand is faceted smoky quartz in a deep translucent brown, graduated from about 5 to 9mm, hand knotted on silk and finished in 14k gold at 17.5 inches, and it is $1,545. For more green, the Green Tourmaline Nugget Strand is bright green tourmaline in natural, irregular nuggets with a single solid 18k gold daisy bead, made in your choice of 16, 17 or 18 inches, and it is $2,800. And if you love something dainty, my Plum Stichtite Strand is 3mm faceted stichtite in a true plum purple with 14k gold findings at 16 inches, and it is $550. If you have a question about any of them, just send me a message, I would love to help you find the strand that feels like you.
