Whether you are stringing a necklace or a bracelet, it helps to know how many beads to buy before you start. This calculator counts the beads for a given finished length, accounting for the clasp and optional spacers.
Standard lengths
| Piece | Typical length |
|---|---|
| Bracelet | about 7 to 7.5 in |
| Choker | about 14 to 16 in |
| Princess necklace | about 17 to 19 in |
| Matinee | about 20 to 24 in |
| Opera | about 28 to 36 in |
| Rope | 37 in or more |
For a bracelet, measure the wrist snugly and add about ½ to 1 in for comfort.
The calculation
The clasp, jump rings and crimps take some of the length, so only the rest is beaded:
beaded length = finished length − clasp length
beads = beaded length ÷ bead size
For an 18 in necklace with a ½ in clasp: 17.5 in is 444.5 mm. With 8 mm beads: 444.5 ÷ 8 = 55.6, so 55 beads.
With spacer beads between each main bead, each repeat takes bead + spacer, and there is one spacer fewer than beads.
Bead sizes are measured in millimeters across the hole. Round beads are true to size; oval, rondelle or faceted beads may be shorter along the strand than their stated size, so measure a few if precision matters.
Buying strands
Gemstone and glass beads are often sold on strands of about 15 to 16 in. A 15.5 in strand holds about 49 beads of 8 mm, so the necklace needs 2 strands. Buy a few extra beads to choose the best ones and replace any with small chips or tight holes.
Stringing material
Cut beading wire about 4 in longer than the finished length to leave room for the crimps and to make finishing easier. Choose a wire diameter that fits through the smallest bead hole: 0.015 to 0.019 in suits most beads. For pearls, silk thread with knots between beads adds about 1 mm per knot.
Tips
- Lay the design out on a bead board before stringing.
- Use crimp covers for a neat finish.
- Heavy stones need a stronger wire and a sturdier clasp.