Beading How-To's
printer friendly versionSeed Bead Finishes
 |  | AB (Aurora Borealis) - Named for the northern lights, aurora borealis is a term for crystal stones that have a highly iridescent surface. |
 | | Ceylon - A pearl luster finish. Sometimes the color of this bead fades when exposed to strong sunlight. |
 | | Inside Color - The surface layer is clear while the color adhered to the inside shows through the clear layer. |
 | | Iris - An iridescent coating with multiple hues, usually on dark, opaque beads |
| Luster - - Transparent, opal or opaque beads with a transparent, uniform, slightly shiny finish that is usually permanent. Finishes may be white, colored or even gold. |
 | | Matte - A finish that has a dulled or less shiny, perhaps frosty appearance. Light does not reflect off the surface as it does witha highly polished surface. Matte beads have a velvety or frosted surface. You can matte finish your own beads with Dip N'Etch. Matte iridescent beads are both iridescent and matte. These cannot be etched to make simply matte. |
 | | Metallic or Galvanized - A shiny, very reflective coating that gives the bead a look of metal. Metallic or galvanized beads are glass with a shiny metal like surface coating that is usually a baked-on product. Test the beads overnight in bleach, aceton or alcohol to check for permanence. Try not to use on bracelets or backs of necklaces where they will receive abrasions or anywhere they may receive a lot of sunlight. Three or four coats of a spray fixative can prevent the surface from wearing off quickly. Bronze, hematite and copper are more permanent because they actually have a metallic luster finish.
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 | | Opaque - Light cannot pass through an opaque bead because opaque beads transmit no light. You can't see the thread in an opaque bead. |
 | | Rainbow - An iridescent coating on the outside of either opaque or transparent beads. |
 | | Silver Lined - A transparent colored or clear outer layer which allows the silver lining on the inside to glisten through, giving added reflection. Silver-lined beads are made with a transparent or opal glass and have a mirror-like reflective lining in their holes. Usually, but not always, the hole is square to enhance the bead's reflectiveness. |
 | | Translucent - Somewhat clear (not as clear as transparent) - light can pass through. |
 | | Transparent - Light passes through a transparent bead much like it would through a stained glass window. (You can see through it.) Transparent beads transmit light and you can see into or through them, even when they're colored. More lively or ''sparkly'' than opaque beads.
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