If you have been inspired to make your own beaded jewelry, you may be wondering where to begin. Learning as much as you can about beads, stringing materials, and jewelry-making components is a great place to start. In addition to knowing about the many different sizes, shapes, and styles of beads that you can work with, it is useful to learn about jewelry styles and how jewelry is constructed.
It is particularly useful to develop an understanding of how beads are grouped and categorized. In most cases, they are grouped in overlapping categories that include shape and size, hole size and drill style, and material and surface treatment. Learning to recognize how beads are crafted, manufactured, or cut is also helpful when evaluating the cost of beads and determining if you are paying a fair price.
Beads come in a vast array of sizes, allowing the jewelry maker to create a wide range of jewelry styles. Bead size may be determined by a particular manufacturing technique or by the material being drilled, formed, or extruded; or it may simply be the aesthetic of the bead maker. Beads are generally sized in millimeters, with basic round beads starting at 2 millimeters and ranging to 20 millimeters on up. Shaped beads come in a wide range of dimensions as well.
Because beads are sold in millimeter dimensions and jewelry is frequently designed in inches, being able to quickly convert inches into millimeters and millimeters into inches is useful. The following charts are a quick reference for easily converting dimensions.
The list of bead shapes is nearly endless, and new shapes are being developed all the time. By far the most common bead shape is round or spherical. Other shapes fall loosely into three overlapping categories — dimensional, geometric, and drop.
In addition to round beads, other basic dimensional shapes include barrels, bicones, cubes, dice, rondelles, saucers, and tubes. Organically shaped dimensional beads include chips, nuggets, and pebbles.
Basic geometric bead shapes include coins, hexagons, octagons, ovals, rectangles, and squares. Common bead drop shapes include daggers, teardrops, and briolettes. Briolettes are traditionally defined as pear-shaped, faceted drops with a tip drill, but bead vendors and beaders refer to all gemstone drops (faceted and unfaceted) with a tip drill or front drill as briolettes (see Drill Styles). Other shapes include teardrop, onion, and heart.
To make this list even longer, many of these bead shapes also come in cut, flat, window-paned, puffed, or twisted versions. Regardless of shape, the color and other special qualities of a bead material are best showcased by a smooth surface. For added dimension and sparkle, beads may be cut or manufactured with a faceted surface. Facets are little cuts on the sides of beads. Both smooth and faceted beads come in a wide range of sizes.
Whatever material they are made of, beads can be drilled with a range of bead hole sizes and in a number of different directions. The size of a bead hole and the drill style inform the choice of stringing material for a particular project. Bead hole size and drill style also determine how a single bead or a set of beads will sit or hang when strung. It is always important to consider bead hole size and drill style when selecting beads for particular beaded necklace or bracelet projects.
When the beads in a project have different holes sizes, match the diameter of the stringing material to the bead with the smallest hole. If the beads all have large holes, try using a large diameter stringing material, multiple strands of cording, or spacer beads with smaller holes to get the project to hang correctly.
Bead hole size corresponds directly to stringing material diameter. Bead hole sizes range from .05 millimeter in a tiny gemstone, pearl, or seed bead to over 4 millimeters in a large-hole bead. The most common bead hole sizes are from 1 to 2 millimeters.
When you are planning a project, start with selecting the beads. It is always a good idea to choose ones with similarly sized holes. If there is a noticeable difference in bead hole size, you can use spacer beads and bead caps to mask some of the variations, but if the variation is too great, the beads will not lie smoothly next to one another on the stringing material. Once you have selected all the beads for a project, you can decide what the most appropriate stringing material is.
If you want to use a particular stringing material, it is important to choose beads that fit snugly, though not too tightly, on the stringing material. If a bead with a large hole is strung on a small diameter stringing material, it will sag and not hang nicely when worn.
Beads are frequently described by how they are drilled. Round beads are most commonly drilled through the center, while other shapes may be drilled in a variety of directions. For example, a flat, rectangular bead may be center drilled through either the length or the width of the bead. It may also be drilled diagonally through the width at one end of the bead, or from front to back. These last variations in drill style add dimension to any jewelry project; they also allow a bead to be transformed into a pendant.
Most pressed or molded beads are machine drilled, making the resulting bead holes very consistent in diameter. Many natural materials, such as gemstones and pearls, are drilled by hand, which creates more irregular holes. Hand-drilled beads are most commonly drilled halfway from one side of the bead to the center, and then halfway from the other side to the center. This method of drilling often produces a drill hole that is wider on the surface and narrower in the center, which can pose problems when stringing (see Tech Tip below for how to use a bead reamer).
If the holes in your beads are uneven or very small, use a bead reamer to try to enlarge the problematic holes. Select a bit for the bead reamer that matches the size of the hole you are working on. Insert the bit into each side of the bead and twist gently until the hole is large enough to string easily. Rough- or sharp-edged bead holes that may cut stringing material can also be smoothed out using a bead reamer.
Center drill is the most common drill style. These beads are generally round or dimensional and are drilled through the center of the bead at its widest point.
Side drill is another common style used with beads that are flat, square, or shaped. The hole runs from side to side at the widest point.
Top drill is used for beads with a definite top and bottom. This style of bead is drilled from top to bottom and they are often strung on wire or head pins to create dangles. Vertical drill is another style of top drill used when directionality is important. This style of bead may have a design or words on it that require the drill hole to run perpendicular.
Front drill is used for beads with a definite front and back. This style of bead is often turned into a charm or pendant by simply adding a jump ring or split ring through the drill hole.
Tip drill is used for beads that have a distinct top and bottom but no definite front or back. This style of bead is drilled through the top of the bead and will hang like a pendant or can be strung to hang side by side.
Diagonal drill refers to any square, cube, or rectangular bead that is drilled from corner to corner. These beads hang on the diagonal when strung.
Double drill refers to any bead that has two parallel holes. This style of bead may be drilled with centered, side-by-side holes or with holes at the top and bottom. This drill style helps the beads to lie flat or to function as spacer bars (see page 49) in a multistrand project.
The oldest known beads were crafted by early humans from marine shells over 100,000 years ago. The use of beads for body decoration and jewelry is a distinctly modern human trait. There is no evidence that Neanderthals, the predessors of modern humans, made beads or used personal adornment of any kind.
Today, beads are made from a huge variety of materials using a wide range of techniques. Gemstones are cut by hand, and pearls are cultured on pearl farms. Other natural materials like wood, horn, and bone are carved or shaped either by hand or by machine. Some beads are handcrafted or manufactured from molten glass, ceramic, porcelain, and precious metals. Beads are also pressed or molded from a wide range of pliable materials like plastic and resin. Found objects like nuts, seeds, teeth, and antlers are transformed into beads with carefully placed drill holes. Some of the most common bead materials are described in the following sections.
Glass beads are categorized by the method used to manipulate molten glass to create the beads. Today, manufactured beads are usually drawn, pressed, or molded while handcrafted glass beads are lamp worked, blown, or cast. Different glass composites create different colors, metallic coatings and linings add interest, and the skill of the bead maker always adds value. Types of glass beads include the following.
Drawn glass beads are produced by pulling molten glass in such a way that a bubble is maintained in the center of a long cane of glass. The cane is then chopped into individual slices and rolled in hot sand to smooth the edges. Tiny seed beads are manufactured using highly sophisticated machines that mechanically draw (or extrude), chop, and smooth the beads. Different brands of seed beads are produced on different machinery. Each brand of seed beads has a signature shape — some are rounder, some are more donut shaped, and others are slightly irregular.
Pressed and molded glass beads are made from thick rods of molten glass that are fed into elaborate presses or molds that form the glass and pierce the hole. The freshly pressed or molded glass beads are then rolled in hot sand to reduce the seam lines. Glass beads pressed and molded in the Czech Republic have long been the world’s finest. They are the result of superior bead stamps and molds, as well as centuries of glass-making experience.
Lampwork beads are handcrafted from canes of colored glass that are worked around a metal rod over a specialized lampworking torch. After the beads are formed and decorated, they are fired in a kiln to anneal (harden) the glass. The type of glass used, the type and temperature of torch used, and the skill of the artist determine the quality and price of lampwork beads.
Dichroic beads are lampwork or pressed glass beads that have been fused with a thin coating of metal to create a color-changeable surface with a high sheen.
Furnace glass beads are made from decorative canes of glass encased in clear glass that is extruded, cut into beads, and fired or annealed in a furnace to strengthen the glass.
Sand-cast beads, also called powder glass beads or recycled glass beads, are primarily made in West Africa, though many Chinese reproductions have entered the marketplace recently.
Traditionally, these beads are made from broken beads, broken bottles, and other glass leftovers. The glass is ground, heated, and poured into hand-formed clay molds, and then pierced to make the hole before firing. The beads are fired over a carefully tended wood fire. The low temperature of the wood fire gives the beads their unique texture. Once the beads have cooled, they are released from the molds, washed to reveal the color, and in some cases, painted with designs.
Crystal beads are made from leaded glass. Lead is added to the normal ingredients of glass, which include quartz sand, soda, potash, and other minerals. The addition of lead to a traditional glass recipe adds weight, improves durability, and increases the prismatic qualities of the glass. The amount of lead used in glass crystal varies from brand to brand. Although lead can be a toxic substance if consumed, wearing leaded crystal jewelry does not pose a health risk.
Swarovski Crystal, made in Austria, is the finest brand of crystal on the market. Swarovski beads and pendants have a 32 percent lead content, which makes them the heaviest and most prismatic of the crystal beads manufactured today.
In 1895 Daniel Swarovski, who was born in northern Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), developed a highly specialized glass-cutting machine that transformed the crystal-cutting industry. Swarovski beads are unique not only because of their high lead content, but also because of the proprietary precision-cutting techniques that the company has perfected over more than a century.
Preciosa crystal is made by Jablonex, the centuries-old Bohemian (now Czech) manufacturer of cut glass and chandelier components. In addition to glass components and crystal beads, Jablonex manufactures seed beads and pressed and molded glass beads. Preciosa crystal has a 30 percent lead content, which makes it similar in weight to Swarovski Crystal. The real difference between Swarovski and Preciosa crystal can be seen in the cut, with the resulting prismatic qualities of the beads and pendants.
Glass crystal is manufactured in China. Chinese crystal is marketed under several brand names, but in all cases, it contains only 20 percent lead. The lower lead content and mass-production manufacturing process produce lower-quality crystal beads that are lighter and less reflective than their more expensive counterparts.
Gemstones are the naturally occurring crystalline forms of various minerals found in the earth’s crust. They come in an enormous variety of colors and clarities and are grouped into families based on their crystal structure, chemical composition, and impurity content. The value of a gemstone depends on its beauty, its rarity, its clarity, and the way it is cut and polished. Traditionally, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires have been considered the most precious gemstones and have commanded the highest prices in the marketplace. However, as other colored gemstones such as turquoise become increasingly rare, their prices have grown steadily.
Many other gemstones, including varieties of feldspar, garnet, and quartz, are sometimes referred to as “semiprecious” because they are more abundant and tend to be less expensive. Today it is preferable to refer to all jewelry-grade stones as gemstones, regardless of their value.
Another significant way that gemstones are categorized is by their hardness, or scratch resistance. In the early nineteenth century, a system for identifying minerals had not yet been developed. In 1812, German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs developed a comparison scale of hardness to classify minerals by their physical characteristics rather than their chemical composition. This scale is still used today (see Appendix).
The natural world produces a stunning array of minerals that transform into gemstone beads when cut, polished, and drilled. The following list represents only the most common gemstones; there are many more.
Agate and jasper are both chalcedony, a subfamily of quartz, and they share similar mineral content. Both form in volcanic rock and come in a vast range of colors that result from their varying mineral contents. The primary visual difference between them is that agate is translucent and jasper is opaque.
Agates generally have a fibrous, milky, translucent appearance with banded inclusions. Some common varieties of agate include black onyx, a very popular stone; fire agate, which ranges in color from white to deep orange with feathery banding; and blue lace agate, which ranges from light blue to deep blue with complex white banding.
Jaspers are opaque stones of virtually any color that have a grainy appearance with spotted inclusions. The spotting results from the particular way sediments settle in the volcanic rock as it cools. There are numerous varieties of jasper, including picture jasper, which is sand colored with dark, spotted or swirled inclusions; silver leaf jasper, which is pale gray with spotted swirls of white to dark gray; and Madagascar jasper, which is green with distinctive circular spotting in whites and pale greens.
Feldspar is the most abundant rock found in the earth’s crust. Types of gemstone-quality feldspar include amazonite, labradorite, moonstone, and sunstone. These gemstones all have a fiery or “floating light” aspect because alternating layers of two kinds of feldspar shatter light as it is reflected.
Garnet has a crystal structure similar to gemstone-quality feldspar. Though typically thought of as deep red, only pyrope, the most common garnet, is that color. Garnet also comes in a range of other colors due to the slightly different chemical compositions of each gemstone. Rhodolite is purple-pink, spessartite is deep orange, hessonite is brownish red, grossularite is yellow-green, and tsavorite is deep green.
Jade actually refers to two distinct mineral gemstones — nephrite and jadeite. Due to their toughness, jades were used by early man to make axe heads, knives, and other weapons. Nephrite is always either creamy white or pale yellow-green. Jadeite comes in a full range of colors from white to brilliant green. The greater the content of iron in these stones, the greener they are.
Precious gemstones have been prized throughout history for their rarity and beauty and, accordingly, command higher prices. Diamonds have always been one of the most valuable and sought-after gemstones. They are remarkable for the way their crystal structure can split white light into the full spectrum of colors.
Emerald ranges in color from yellow-green to blue-green, with the most common hue being brilliant “emerald” green. The green coloration results from trace amounts of chromium in the stone.
Sapphire, while most commonly blue, can be found in a wide range of colors including pink, orange, and yellow.
Ruby in a deep, natural red is the most prized, but lighter shades also occur. Ruby is frequently heavily dyed to achieve that sought-after red color.
Quartz is the second-most-abundant rock forming the earth’s crust. There are two types of quartz: those in which the crystal formation can be seen with the naked eye (macrocrystalline), and those in which the crystal formation can be seen only under high magnification (microcrystalline).
A common type of macrocrystalline quartz that forms as visible crystals is the gemstone amethyst, which is a transparent deep purple. The darker the purple coloration, the more valuable the amethyst is. Citrine, which is similar to amethyst in structure ranges in color from pale yellow to brown. Amethyst and citrine sometimes grow in the same crystal and form another gemstone called ametrine.
The transparent, colorless variety of quartz is called rock crystal or crystal quartz. Many consider this type to be the ideal form of quartz. Rose quartz ranges from pale pink to rose-pink and is one of the most popular quartz gemstones. Even though rose quartz tends to be fairly cloudy, it remains one of the more affordable gemstones. Smoky quartz ranges in color from pale gray to deep brown and is frequently treated with heat to enhance the depth of the brown coloration.
Other common varieties of quartz have a microcrystalline structure that is only visible under high magnification. Aventurine is a translucent green quartz gemstone with a grainy structure. The mineral inclusions in aventurine give it a special shimmering effect. Carnelian is a translucent, bright orange to deep red gemstone with a sheen that can be enhanced by polishing. Tiger’s eye also has a fine sheen when polished but is noted for its parallel gold and brown stripes.
Topaz is a transparent gemstone that comes in a variety of colors. The color variations occur as a result of impurities in the stone. Imperial topaz, the most well-known variety, is pale yellow to golden brown. True blue topaz is rare, but varieties of pale gray stone are often heat-treated or irradiated to produce brilliant blue stones. Two common trade names for blue topaz are Swiss blue topaz and London blue topaz. Mystic topaz is a colorless or faintly colored topaz that is surface coated to produce a stunning rainbow effect.
Tourmaline is one of the most structurally complex gemstones found in nature and comes in at least 10 varieties. The color or combination of colors found in each stone is the result of where it was mined and the combination of elements found in the gemstone. Colors range from pink to red, from blue to green, and from brown and to black. Iron-rich tourmalines are usually black to deep brown, while magnesium-rich tourmalines are brown to yellow, and lithium-rich tourmalines are almost any color, including blue, green, red, yellow, and pink. Bicolored and multicolored tourmaline crystals are quite common. This occurs due to fluidity of the chemical content during crystallization. Tourmaline may be green at one end and pink at the other, or green on the outside and pink on the inside; this type is called watermelon tourmaline.
Turquoise is a comparatively soft gemstone that has been prized for centuries for its stunning, opaque blue-green color. The color of turquoise is determined by the chemical and impurity content of each stone and where it is mined. Good-quality stone has become harder and harder to find as the mineral has been overmined. Today the best turquoise is located in northeastern Iran. Other notable deposits are found in Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico, Tanzania, and in the southwestern United States.
Unfortunately, the value of turquoise has diminished because of treatments like stabilization and the introduction of imitation or synthetic turquoise-colored materials. Two stones that are frequently mistaken for turquoise are dyed howlite and dyed magnesite. If the price of turquoise is too good to be true, it is likely one of these imposters.
Metal beads and jewelry-making components (see Findings and Clasps) are made from a wide range of metals. Metals are generally categorized in three categories: precious metals, base metals, and hypoallergenic metals. In addition to metal type, a variety of metal beads are defined by the way they are made. Many metal beads, components, and findings (crimps, clasps, rings, and so on) are mass-produced, while artisans from around the world handcraft the finest metal beads and findings.
Various cultures around the world are known for the handcrafted metal beads that they have produced for generations. Small collectives of the Karen people in Thailand make gorgeous fine silver beads in traditional designs. These beads are referred to as Hill Tribe Silver Beads. Recently, due to the dramatic increase in silver prices, these collectives have begun producing their traditional designs in alternative metals, including brass and copper.
Indonesian Bali Silver Beads are made by silver workers renowned for crafting these expertly handcrafted sterling silver beads. The lost-wax method of casting metal beads continues in Ghana, West Africa, while Tibetan refugees in Nepal carry on their tradition of metal bead making. Nomadic tribes in Afghanistan continue their age-old tradition of creating metal beads, pendants, and amulets. Many contemporary artists and artisans are designing and producing beads and pendants in a range of metals, including copper, brass, and pewter.
Selecting a metal to use for your stringing project is a matter of personal preference, metal color, and cost. Precious metals include gold, fine silver, and sterling silver.
Gold is a soft, corrosion-resistant, easily worked metal. To improve durability and reduce cost, gold is produced as alloys with decreasing percentages of pure gold content. For example, 24-karat gold is 100 percent pure gold, while 14-karat gold is 58.5 percent pure gold. Gold-filled is a gold alloy combined with sterling silver or base metal in layers and then drawn or rolled into the desired thickness or shape. Gold-plated is typically copper electroplated with a thin layer of gold. Vermeil [ver-MAY] is 18-karat gold gilded or washed over sterling silver or another metal.
Silver is a lustrous, silvery white metal that is easily worked. Oxidation causes silver to patina or darken over time. Fine silver is .999 percent pure silver, whereas sterling silver is 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 percent copper. True sterling silver is always stamped .925. Silver-filled is a silver alloy that is drawn and shaped in a desired thickness and shape. Silver-plated is typically copper that is electroplated with a thin layer of sterling silver.
Base metals include nickel, nickel silver, copper, brass, and pewter.
Nickel is a silvery metal that is tough and corrosion resistant and easily molded. Nickel silver (also known as German silver or gun metal) is a silvery, hard, corrosion-resistant alloy of 65 percent copper, 18 percent zinc, and 17 percent nickel. There is no silver in nickel silver.
Copper is a reddish-brown, metallic element that is easily shaped.
Brass is an alloy containing 75 percent copper and 25 percent zinc, and bronze is an alloy containing 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin.
Pewter is an alloy containing 90 percent tin and 10 percent copper, antimony, and bismuth. Britannia metal is a pewter alloy that contains 92 percent tin, 6 percent antimony, and only 2 percent copper.
Hypoallergenic metals include stainless steel, niobium, and titanium. “Hypoallergenic” is a term coined by the cosmetics industry in the 1950s to indicate that certain products were less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Most people who have an allergy to metals are allergic to the nickel content of jewelry findings. Using nickel-free metals or alloys like gold, sterling silver, or niobium is the only way to avoid an allergic reaction entirely.
Stainless steel is a steel alloy that comes in hundreds of different grades. The most common steel alloy for jewelry findings is both stain- and corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic. Surgical steel is a medical-grade, corrosion- and rust-resistant stainless steel.
Niobium is a soft gray metal with very low toxicity that is both nickel- and lead-free. Niobium findings are made in fun colors, as well as black and shades of copper and bronze.
Titanium is a very strong metal most commonly used for body jewelry and surgical implants. It is particularly useful for people with severe nickel allergies.
Natural beads are made from an amazing array of materials that include pearls, coral amber, wood, bone, seeds, and shells. The earliest known beads are over 100,000 years old and correlate with the emergence of modern human culture. These early examples of personal adornment are simple shells with hand-bored holes and a hand-painted coating of red ochre.
Certain fine materials like pearl, coral, and amber are considered by many to be organic precious gemstones. They are classified with other gemstones because of their unique beauty and because they are rare or costly to culture or harvest.
Freshwater pearls are most frequently used for stringing necklaces and bracelets. Cultured freshwater pearls are created by seeding the freshwater mussel with tiny beads of shell and allowing the mollusk to react to these irritants by excreting a substance called nacre. Over time the nacre builds up and lustrous pearls can be harvested.
Coral is formed by a huge colony of tiny sea organisms called coral polyps that build protective calcium carbonate skeletons. Over long spans of time, these colonies grow large enough to become coral reefs. Many species of coral are endangered, so today only certain species of coral may be harvested legally.
Amber is the fossilized resin from long extinct coniferous trees. True fossilized amber is very hard, sometimes has extinct insects encased in it, and does not crack or melt. Copal is a tropical tree resin from living trees that have not completed the fossilization process. It is often mistaken for amber but is less hard than true fossilized amber and will crack and melt.
Nuts, seeds, and shells are abundant around the world and can easily be transformed into beads with the simple addition of a hole. A small sampling of nuts and seeds that are used as beads include kukui nuts, betel nuts, sibucau seeds, buri seeds, and palmetto seeds.
Wood, horn, and bone have been commonly used to make beads and buttons for decades. Most beads made from these materials today are either recycled or come from sustainable sources. Animal products come from the leftovers of food production, and wood products generally come from fast-growing tropical trees such as palm, bayong, tiger ebony, black ebony, and rosewood.
Plastic beads are made from materials that are easily shaped and molded. Each type of plastic has its own recipe and unique properties.
Lucite is the brand name of a plastic developed by DuPont in 1931. The US military used Lucite extensively during World War II. After the war, DuPont marketed Lucite for decorative use including for beads and jewelry. Lucite beads made between the 1930s and the 1960s are some of the most beautiful. They were produced in fabulous colors, unique shapes, and often had unusual iridescent qualities.
Resin beads and other items are created through a multistep process. Resin is very lightweight, dyes easily, and can be both extruded and molded. Resin beads are often manufactured to mimic glass beads.
Acrylic beads are made from a variety of proprietary synthetic recipes and are frequently manufactured to imitate amber, crystal, and metal.
Most beads made from precious natural materials undergo further treatment to enhance their natural beauty. The practice of treating and enhancing gemstones and pearls has been going on for centuries. Gemstones and pearls are frequently heat-treated, irradiated, dyed, oiled, or stabilized to enhance their beauty or to alter their natural color. In fact, most gemstone and pearl beads available today have been enhanced in some way. Completely natural, untouched gemstones and pearls are very difficult to source and are consequently very costly.
Heat treatment is the oldest process of enhancement. Heat causes the color of a gemstone to lighten, darken, or change completely. It can also improve the clarity of a gemstone or produce an interesting surface luster. Soft materials like amber are treated at temperatures as low as 175°C for a few minutes, whereas hard gemstones like diamond, ruby, and sapphire are treated at temperatures as high as 1,800°C for several hours.
Irradiation bathes gemstones or pearls in radiation to enhance or totally transform the material’s natural color. Sometimes irradiation is followed by a heat treatment to produce a better or new color.
Oiling is a process that reduces the visibility of micro-cracks and inclusions in soft gemstones, particularly emeralds. Gemstones are first soaked in cedar-tree oil and then heated under pressure to push the oil deep into the cracks and inclusions.
Stabilization infuses a porous stone like turquoise with a bonding agent to enhance its strength and prevent it from absorbing unwanted substances, like body oil, that can cause discoloration.
Dyeing is a process of soaking, or heating and soaking, beads in natural or chemical colorants to enhance or alter their color. Dyed beads are often apparent to the naked eye. The bead string may be colored, the bead holes may be darker than the rest of the bead, or the color of the bead may be incredibly unnatural.
Coating is a process equivalent to glazing beads with nail polish. Coatings are transparent chemical glazes, usually applied with heat, that increase luster or change the reflective quality of the surface of a bead. Some common coatings include the following: