11.5mm Blue Satin/Gray Picasso 3-Cut Teardrop Beads [25]

Cost per bead:

16.8 cents

Bead material:

Glass

Country of origin:

Czech Republic

Size/shape:

11.5mm (long) teardrop beads with three facets around the middle; the hole running the long direction.

Colors/description:

Satiny opaque blue with a mottled brown/gray luster "picasso" coating on the rounded portions of the beads.

Hole size:

1mm (estimated).

Defects:

Most beads have one imperfect facet, which is a lot considering that each bead has only three facets.  This is due to the fire-polishing process.  The imperfect facet will be a little dull, or it will not be entirely flat, or both. I haven't lowered my price because of these defects.  Imperfect facets due to fire-polishing just have to be accepted. If the beads were hand-polished, they would be twice as expensive.

How photographed:

At the window in natural daylight.

Comments:

There's no doubt that these beads are unusual.  I haven't seen any other beads made out of this rich blue satiny glass.  I feel very fortunate that the supplier has had them in stock for so long.  Unfortunately, they are as expensive as the polished rectangles that I carry.

When I restocked these beads in December, 2013, I was able to lower the price from 20 cents per bead to 16.8 cents per bead (but I also increased the lot size to 25, so the price-per-lot actually went up a bit).  I was able to lower the price because I got the beads at a discount.  However, the next time I buy them, there may be no discount, so the price will have to go up again.