Silver Plated Beads

OK, we know the title to this category of jewelry supplies is a little long and maybe a bit non-traditional, but we think it gets the point across. In this group of jewelry supplies you will find metalized plastic, as well as silver-plated, and pewter beads and findings. Any bead that is gray metal and not at least .925 silver goes in here, as do head pins, connectors, and crimp beads.

This is a fun category to work with, as the holes on most of these beads are quite large. Most of them are low cost as well, so it's a good bead group to use if you are just starting out with jewelry making, teaching children to do beadwork, or looking for that bead to cover up a crimp bead. In most cases, these beads are totally impossible to distinguish by sight alone from real sterling silver. Try mixing them with some Swarovski crystal, freshwater pearls, or gemstone beads for an exceptionally pretty combination.

The down side to these beads is their finish may wear off over time. However, one of the advantages they offer, aside from low cost and large holes, is their light weight. This is especially important in earrings, as the lighter weight they are, the more comfortable they are to wear.