Silver, Gold, & Pewter Beads

Metal beads are always popular in jewelry designs, and metal is a great choice for durability if your pieces get lots of wear. A wide array of metal beads are availble for all your projects, so arm yourself with the information you need to select the beads that are right for your next project!

Metal	Composition	Characteristics
Sterling silver	92.5% silver, 7.5% other metal, usually copper	Adding copper or other base metal makes sterling silver harder and more prone to tarnishing
Silver plate	Thin layer of pure silver over base metal	Looks like sterling, but plating wears off over time
Bali silver	Sterling silver	Handmade in Bali; characterized by surface granulation and fine detail
Hill Tribes silver	95%-99% pure silver	Handmade in Thailand; no two pieces are exactly alike
Gold-filled	10k or higher over base metal	Gold layer will wear off over time
Pewter	Alloy (mixture) of at least 90% tin with antimony and copper	Originally, pewter was cast with lead. Today it is generally cast without lead, although imports from China can still contain lead. ‘Britannia’ metal is a non-leaded form of pewter.

Bali, Hill Tribes, and sterling silver beads in many shapes and sizes, as well as gold-filled and pewter in never-ending styles and patterns await at Let's Bead!