Other Beads for Jewellery Making — Silicone, Porcelain, Shamballa and Art Beads

This category gathers the beads that don’t fit the usual groups — glass, metal, wood or acrylic. Here you’ll find silicone beads, polymer clay, porcelain, Shamballa beads, art beads and cabochons. Each material feels different, weighs a different amount and does a different job, so the choice starts not with colour but with what you’re planning to make.

Some of these beads are ready to string, others are glued onto a base, and some you shape and bake yourself. Silicone is light and soft, porcelain is heavier and more elegant, polymer clay gives you free rein over shape and colour, Shamballa beads bring sparkle, and art beads work best as a single strong accent.

Types

Silicone beads. Soft, flexible and pleasant to handle. They don’t break when dropped and wash clean with soap and warm water. A common pick for contemporary fashion jewellery, colourful bracelets, keyrings and decorative accessories.

Polymer clay. A material you shape yourself. You model it by hand, then bake it according to the manufacturer’s instructions and it hardens permanently. From polymer clay you can make beads, pendants, small figures, name tags or colourful accents. FIMO and Sculpey are well-known polymer clay brands, and their different ranges vary in firmness, working time and recommended baking temperature.

Porcelain beads. Ceramic beads with a smooth surface, usually glazed or hand-painted. They’re heavier than plastic beads of the same size and sit more steadily in a strand. You’ll find them in classic shapes such as rounds and tubes, as well as figurative motifs — fish, cats, flowers and other decorative forms.

Shamballa beads. Round beads coated in resin and set with tiny crystals or decorative elements. They’re used mostly in Shamballa bracelets — macramé bracelets built from square knots, with beads spaced between the knotted sections and an adjustable length. They’re eye-catching enough on their own, so they rarely need much else around them.

Art beads. The more unusual pieces — odd shapes, interesting finishes, natural inclusions, resin or a handmade look. Use them as one or two accents in a project rather than as the basis for a whole strand. They suit one-off bracelets, necklaces, keyrings and decorative arrangements.

Cabochons. Cabochons differ from ordinary beads in that they aren’t strung. They have a flat back and are glued onto a base — a ring, an earring, a brooch, a pendant setting or a decorative frame. You’ll need matching metal jewellery blanks and a glue suited to the material.

The remaining specialist types in this category — beads with textile, real leather, faux suede and resin elements — are mostly used as accents. They’re good for mixed-media techniques, but rarely form the basis of a whole strand.

What to combine them with

These beads are often used in mixed projects. Porcelain balances well against glass beads, since both materials have that denser feel. Metal components — clasps, spacers, jump rings and pendants — pull a project together and make it look finished. Wooden beads add warmth, especially in boho pieces, while natural stones such as lava, tiger’s eye and hematite give contrast and a stronger character.

Glass beads

shine and density

Metal components

clasps, rings, pendants

Wooden beads

for boho projects

Natural stones

lava, tiger’s eye, hematite

Good to know

Different types of beads are built different. With glass beads it comes down to shine and clarity; with metal, to finish and durability. In this category every material has its own tell-tale signs.

• Silicone — softness, stretch, a smooth surface and a clearly stated intended use from the manufacturer
• Polymer clay — how it handles while you work, how stable it is after baking, and no visible cracking
• Porcelain — a clean glaze, an even hole, no cracks or sharp edges
• Shamballa — a stable coating and decorative elements set firmly into the resin
• Cabochons — a smooth flat back and a good surface for gluing

On lower-quality versions, the decorative elements tend to work loose faster with wear. So when you’re choosing Shamballa beads, art beads or cabochons, look past the colour at the surface, the edges and how the detail has been made.

Frequently asked questions