Click picture to see entire image:

Cost per bead:

12 cents

Bead material:

Glass

Country of origin:

Czech Republic

Size/shape:

10mm (from hole to hole) x 12mm (wide) deep flowers with three "petals" and grooves on the side.

Colors/description:

An opaque bead, probably white, with a mottled pink coating and a heavy gold-colored coating.  Please see my comments below.

Hole size:

1mm (estimated).

Defects:

The beads appear to be in good shape.

How photographed:

At the window in natural daylight.

Comments:

The picture doesn't show just how prominent the gold coating on these beads is.  First of all, the coating isn't a luster coating, and it isn't very translucent.  It looks a bit like gold paint.  The beads altogether are reminiscent of antique French gilded furniture – they have that kind of old-fashioned gilt look.  Here is the supplier's picture, although it also doesn't show how prominent the gold coating is.  The picture does, however, show the shape of the beads very well.

Also, in bright light, the beads look much lighter than my picture indicates.

I raised the price in December, 2010.  When I first posted the beads, I gave them a low markup to keep the price reasonable, but when I restocked them I decided to give them my normal markup.  They are still cheaper than the premium beads, although they are premium quality.