| Mat / Matt: | Tumbled to create a muted look. The surface finish of a bead depends on how long it is tumbled. Instead of being polished to a high gloss, the matte surface gives the bead a soft appearance or a shimmer. During tumbling, the surface alternates between matte and polished, and it is up to the manufacturing experts to calculate the perfect tumbling duration. The matting effect can also be created by dipping the beads in an acid solution. This is the preferred method when producing matte AB surfaces or working with delicate beads such as lampwork. |
| Lustre | Permanent, transparent, glossy colour coating on glass beads, heat-treated like a glaze. These coatings are usually applied to a crystal- or black-based bead; however, there are endless combinations that are becoming increasingly popular. On light beads, a glossy coating can only add a subtle colour accent, while on dark beads the exact opposite can be the case. |
| Spotted | |
| Frost | |
| Splash | |
| Tweedy | |
| Metallic | The base is glass beads coated with a thick, metallic and even layer of paint, which ultimately proves to be extremely durable. |
| Metallic Matt | To maintain the soft, matte appearance, the beads are then tumbled for a certain period of time. |
| AB | AB is an iridescent coating that gives a subtle shimmer. It is named after the Aurora Borealis, the fairytale northern lights. It can be fully or half coated. |
| Marea | Marea beads are another unique bead from the Czech Republic that undergoes a similar process to Vitrail and Aurora Borealis beads, where their special colour is created through a chemical process and heating. Marea beads mainly reflect yellow and orange with touches of violet and blue to create a stunning effect. The beads are usually coated on only one side, and the order is the main colour of the beads themselves - many of the beads are coloured to pick up the yellow and orange reflection properties to create a beautiful and glittering effect. |
| Vitrail | The same process as AB, but the result is a mainly pink/green reflection. |
| Ceylon | A glossy coating that gives the base glass a whitish sheen. The Ceylon coating is usually found on white, cream, pale yellow and pink glass, but also on other medium to light pastel shades. |
| California | The California coated beads are unique in their design, as they are one of the few offerings that have a double metal coating. The main colour of the beads is a rich gold, the second coating is a variation of different and vibrant colours from red to blue to green and much more. |
The Significance of the Different Types of Pearl Finishes
