6 Tips for Buying Seashell Beads

The use of shells in jewelry is not a foreign concept. In fact, shells have been used to adorn the human body for centuries. Shells are the most accessible. Punch a hole in them and they become beads that you can thread into earrings, bracelets, necklaces, as a part of broaches and more. Punching the hole isn't as easy as it sounds, but it is easy to avoid. Just buy the seashell beads. There are a number of ways to do so.

1. Consult bead wholesalers. These are people who sell the beads in bulk and at a lower price than retail because of the large orders. Wholesale seashell bead distributors are found on sites such as the e-Bay craft stores.

2. Look for someone who identifies the shells as beads. Without such a distinction, you are going to end up with seashells that do not have the thread holes. The shells may not be polished, with sharp edges and possibly dirt within the shells. Seashell beads are clean, polished, holed-punched and ready to be used in jewelry.

3. Consider the materials that you would like to purchase. You can find seashell beads made of plastic, ceramic, glass, and even metal materials in addition to the natural seashells found on beaches and in bodies of water. The materials you use will affect the final look of the jewelry and its prices, as real seashells cost more than the plastic. Furthermore, certain materials are easier to find in bulk than others. Consider your materials carefully.

4. Carefully review sizes listed. Buying from catalogues and online can be tricky. Grab a ruler, pencil, and paper if needed to recreate the dimensions. Remember that there is a great difference between millimeters and centimeters. Inches are different as well. Make sure that you are comparing inches to inches when considering seashell beads and not inches to millimeters.

5. Check hole sizes as well. They aren't always listed, so you will have depend on photos.

6. Ask for a sample or place a small order. This is a way to check the accuracy of the seashell bead listings. It is also a great way to test the distributor, bead quality and color depth.