Glass Pearls
This category includes any bead which has a lustrous synthetic coating.
Defects: Glass pearls are prone to two opposite defects. Some beads will be missing some coating around one of the holes, whereas other beads may have a sharp little "tag" of extra coating around one or both holes. The best way to remove the tag is to use cuticle nippers.
It should also be noted that the coating on glass pearls is fairly thin, and I don't know how durable it is. I have received only one complaint about the durability of the coating in the seven years I've been selling them.
IMPORTANT: Glass pearls have a synthetic (polymer) coating which is dyed. The dyes can fade over time. This is especially true of pearls that have blue in the coating. Light blues will eventually fade to gray. Medium blues will fade to bluish-gray. And dark blues will become black or charcoal gray. Also, grayish-blue will fade to gray, aqua will fade to teal (greenish aqua), and lavender will fade to white. As of 2013, I have stopped purchasing beads in colors that will fade, but I still have older stock to sell. Many of the beads on this page have already faded, and have been discounted.
Subcategories:
![]() 3mm-4mm |
![]() 5mm-7mm |
![]() 8mm or Larger |