|  | | | Holey Stones | | | Maintained by: | | HS Specializing in hand-cut stone beads, focal pendant beads, drops and cabochons. We offer carving, cabbing and faceting rough, mineral specimens, rare & extinct stone, and the finest in hand fabricated high kt. gold and sterling silver jewelry. We thank you for your business! All the best, K & L | |
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THE HOLE STORY:
The definition of a bead is deceptively simple. "A small usually round object of glass, wood, stone, or the like with a hole through it....." (Webster's College Dictionary).
For us, we deal primarily with stone, but we also work with bone, amber etc. etc. The hole is the defining mark of a bead, that most humble part by which the entire body is made known. The hole is extremely important and intimately affects today's beader. Have you ever arrived home with a new purchase of gem stone beads, for example, and taking them off the string to incorporate into your design, found that there was no earthly way to get a string back though the so-called hole? Very frustrating! Diamond beading awls were made for just this problem, but they have their own bug-a-boos. Namely, breaking out the tiny opening at the small side of the conical hole, and leaving a sharp edge or so large a break that the bead is unusable. We have all had this experience, I wager. Back to the hole....
A well made bead also includes a well made hole and in some cases, an engineered hole! One designed for the bead in the exact location that it will hang on the necklace or adornment. In other words, careful attention to detail with graceful and subtle changes of plane that slide into the hole with no noticeable break in the curve of the bead. One of the most beautiful beads that I have ever seen is the "RINGPERLEN" a donut shaped bead that also has a donut shaped hole.
Like a puffy roundel, the RINGPERLEN is a feast for the eyes,
smooth rounded planes that allow the beauty of the pattern
and the form of the bead to sing!
Many beads are sold by weight, thus a large hole may affect the total gram price. I believe this is why so many manufacturers of stone beads make such small holes. It is also worth noting that a tiny drill bit penetrates a stone faster and easier than a larger drill bit, and "BEAD QUALITY" stone is often inferior to all other grades of stone material, and will not hold up under the increased vibration of a larger hole. All of these factors play a role in the size of the hole. On the other hand, good material allows for clean and open holes of 1.5mm or larger which are a joy to work with. Personally, I prefer a bead with a hole of at least 2mm. but I do carve my stone beads with a wide range from .7mm to 7mm! When you are buying beads, always remember the hole is extremely important !
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