Are beads sold by the piece, strand, or some other quantity?
Beads are sold by the strand.
Strands lengths are approximately 15 inches unless specified otherwise in the product description.
'Large Hole Beads' are sold by the half strand at 7.5 - 8 inches in length.
Strand lengths are always stated in the product description. Be sure to check the product description prior to purchasing.
How many beads come in a strand? What are the hole sizes?
Count of round beads per 15.5 inch strand.
· 2mm - 171 to 232 beads/strand
· 4mm - 85 to 102 beads/strand
· 6mm - 58 to 68 beads/strand
· 8mm - 45 to 51 beads/strand
· 10mm - 37 to 40 beads/strand
· 12mm - 31 to 33 beads/strand
· 14mm - 27 to 29 beads/strand
· 16mm - 24 to 26 beads/strand
You can also divide 380 by the bead size to get an approximate bead count for round beads.
· Example : 380 / 8mm = approx. 47 beads.
**Note: Non-round beads have unique counts depending on their shape. In most of the shape product listings you'll find a photo of a full strand showing the total number of beads.
Gemstone Bead Hole Sizes
Hole sizes for standard drilled beads are generally 10-15% of the bead size.
· 2mm to 5mm beads have 0.3mm to 0.5mm holes
· 6mm to 8mm beads have 0.6mm to 1.0mm holes
· 10mm beads have holes 1.0mm and larger
Beads hole sizes that differ from those listed above will be clearly labeled in the start of the product description.
*Pearls have 0.3mm to 0.5mm holes.
**Large hole beads have 2.0mm or larger holes.
Are there volume discounts for large purchases?
We offer tiered discounts with increasing order value.
Discount Codes
- GEM10 = 10% off $75+
- GEM15 = 15% off $150+
- GEM20 = 20% off $300+
- GEM25 = 25% off $600+
- GEM30 = 30% off $1200+
**Please note that discount codes greater than 20% do not work on products with the word 'Bulk' in the product title.
What are your shipping rates?
We ship both internationally and domestically. Our shipping rate details can be found in the Shipping page located in the footer.
How long will it take to receive my package?
Order are shipped M-F and we do our best to ship orders placed before 3pm eastern time the same day. The rest depends on the shipping option that you choose at checkout.
All orders are shipped from our headquarters in Massachusetts.
How do I track my order?
Once the order is shipped you will receive a tracking number via email. You can also log into your account to see the status of your order and shipment tracking information.
Notification emails are sent when a package is shipped, out for delivery, and after it has been delivered.
Be sure to check any filter folders in your email. In Gmail our order confirmation, shipment confirmation, and other emails often land in the Promotions tab.
Can I return items if they does not meet my expectations?
Absolutely! Visit our Returns page for details.
Do you grade your stones?
With so many different types of gemstones grading is extremely subjective, and designations of A, AA, and AAA have become grossly overused in the industry. At Tejas Beads we are extremely conservative with our grading, and you'll find that many of our non-graded stones would be labeled in the A, AA, or even AAA range by many of our competitors.
We are conservative with our grading for few reasons:
1) To uphold the integrity of the grading system.
2) To maintain an honest portrayal of product quality.
3) To better manage expectations.
We'd rather have you be pleasantly surprised to receive high quality items than to make the sale based off of overly optimistic grading and have a disappointed customer when the items arrive.
We do our best to QC every batch and update photos when quality changes. Gemstones that don't meet our quality standards are added to our clearance section with honest descriptions about defects, irregularities, and material quality issues.
Where do you ship to?
We ship to all 50 States and to many location worldwide. International shipping rates are calculated at checkout.
How can I tell if a gemstone is natural, synthetic, or enhanced?
At Tejas Beads we feel that the most beautiful gemstones are those in their native state - the way that Mother Earth intended them to be. For this reason our collections are predominately 100% natural and free of artificial treatments and dyes. The few enhanced stones that we do carry are clearly labeled in the product title and product description. Synthetic stones will have (syn), and altered stones have (alt) in the product title.
I have a business and I want to purchase a large order. How should I proceed?
We support both retail and wholesale customers. If you are a business owner, please see our Wholesale Customers page for details on tax exemption and setting up a wholesale account.
Should I shop on a computer, tablet, or smartphone?
Full website functionality is available on all devices. However, the smartphone interface is slightly different to accommodate the limited screen size. The best shopping experience is on a computer or tablet.
You can also download our mobile app in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.