Types of beads

Bali Beads
Bali beads are usually made out of silver or sterling silver. They are often used as spacers when making jewelry.

Faux natural beads
These are often imitations designed to look like a more expensive original material, especially pearls and gemstones. Precious metals and ivory can also be imitated.

Fire-polished beads
Many of such fire-polished beads are glass beads made in the Czech Republic, hence the term "Czech beads". They are faceted by machines and have a shiny look after the beads are cooled from its molten form in the oven. Such method of "polishing"results in a reasonably attractive bead. 

Lampwork beads
Lampwork beads are handmade by using a torch to heat a rod of glass and spinning the resulting thread around a metal rod covered in bead release. The hot glass is carefully wrapped around a coated wire, which, when removed, forms the hole of the bead. Once the base bead is formed, other colors and layers of glass can be added to its surface to create additional designs.

Lead crystal beads
Lead crystal beads are machine-cut crystal beads with hi-tech precision. Outstanding geometry and excellent optical parameters can be achieved with this method of cutting. Many lead crystal beads are also enhanced with surface coatings.  An example is Aurora Borealis, or AB, which diffuses light into a rainbow.  Swarovski crystals are also highly regarded due to their clarity and sparkle.

Cat's Eye Glass reflects light in a way reminiscent of a cats eye.

Cloisonné Enamel 
This type of beads has surface decorations set in hollows formed by strips of wire welded to a metal plate.

Rhinestone
They are generally colorless potash-and-lead glass that contains quartz in the form of melted lead crystal and is cut like a diamond. Also known as diamante and are available in different colours.

Semiprecious Stones
They are natural stones that generally have a lower value than precious stones. Some examples of such stones are amethyst, garnet, opal, rose quartz.

Pearls
Pearls can be saltwater or freshwater cultured pearls which are made into beads. Natural pearls are usually pink peach or mauve in colour whilst white pearls are usually an off white or creamy colour.  There are also faux pearls which are actually glass beads with a pearl-like coating. These glass pearls are also available in many colours.

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