You can make a difference. On Tuesday, January 12, a fierce, 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti near the capitol affecting millions of people. Find out how you can help - click here.
Customer Comments
"Dear FMG, I really like your website. It's pretty easy to use and the product is top quality. Keep up the good work."
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Swarovski® Crystal AB and AB2X Turquoise Bicones and RoundsNow available with AB finishes. As Pantone's 2010 Color of the Year, stock up on all things turquoise and take advantage of bulk pricing on faceted rounds with AB finish and 5mm bicones available in both AB and AB2X.
Silver-Plated Pewter Clover and Shamrock ComponentsBring the luck of the Irish to your customers this St. Pattys Day, with lead-safe pewter and enamel focal components. Excellent casting and tooling with consistent size, shape, finish and plating.
Glass Necklaces
Shop a stylish selection of over 300 glass necklaces to accentuate your handcrafted jewelry lines. Stock up today and gear up for a busy spring/summer shopping season.
New Press Release
2009 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads’ Contest CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements Category
Announcing the Winners of the 2009 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads’ Jewelry-Making Contest -- CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements category! View the award-winning designs featuring one-of-a-kind creativity, technique and style.
New January Online Catalog
- Get fresh ideas from thousands of fashionable jewelry pieces.
- Look over necklaces, bracelets and earring designs.
- Get FREE beading patterns.
- Discover new techniques.
- Learn all you need to know about designing with Swarovski® crystal components.
- Useful charts and interesting articles.
- Answers to your jewelry-making questions.
- Complete dictionary of beading terms.
- Everything you ever wanted to know about gemstones.
A bead board is a small investment that will pay huge dividends because it will help you design beaded jewelry and is an invaluable visual aid and time saver.
Bead boards come in a variety of designs from single to multi-channel styles that have many individual tray compartments to hold beading components while you work. The long channels are marked with ticks to help you measure the finished length of jewelry.
The multi-channel styles are very helpful in making graduated and multiple-strand necklaces and bracelets that will drape properly on your neck and wrist.
Once you string the beads you have placed on your bead board, it is a good idea to lay the finished strand back onto the board again to double check length and bead placement. Always be sure to take the clasp length into consideration for the finished length when completing jewelry designs.
- Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Tip
Today's Featured 'Ask the Experts' Question
Have a Jewelry-Making Question?
Submit your question to leading industry experts or search previously answered questions. These questions include jewelry-making techniques, business and marketing, ergonomic solutions and more.
View All Questions and Expert Answers Submit Your Own Question
View all the award-winning designs of the Annual Bead Star contest for creative inspiration. Bead Star magazine is the only beading publication comprised entirely of prize-winning jewelry designs selected by beaders worldwide. You’ll find 45 one-of-a-kind designs from each contest year.
Find out why turquoise was selected as “Color of the Year” for 2010, and get direct links to turquoise design inspirations and HOT turquoise products, in this article featuring PANTONE®, the world’s leading authority on color.
