Preciosa Crystal Beads Guide

Explore colour & light.

Discover crystal colours, surface effects and coating coverage, with the official Preciosa bead colour chart close at hand.

Colour · Coating · Sparkle

The official colour chart

Preciosa crystal components are crystal glass made for jewellery and decorative work. “Crystal” here describes the glass product; it is different from natural quartz crystal.

Official Preciosa crystal bead colours and coatings chart
Preciosa crystal bead colours and coatings. Open the full-size chart to read small labels.
Open full-size chart ↗Official colour chart PDF ↗

Colour, coating and coverage

Base colour

The underlying glass colour provides the starting point. Compare the actual colour name and code when matching components.

AB and AB 2x

Aurora Borealis adds an iridescent surface effect. In the official chart, AB refers to half coating and AB 2x to full coating.

Polychromatic effects

Coatings such as Volcano, Vitrail and Heliotrope can show different hues as the angle changes. Beads with the same effect can look varied together.

Matte and glitter effects

A matte finish softens the surface appearance. Other effects add sparkle or change how strongly the base colour is seen. Consult the chart for the exact finish name.

Choose for your project

  1. Check the component’s shape, dimensions, hole or attachment style and exact colour or coating code.
  2. Consider how the coating will look from both sides of the design. Coverage can matter for earrings, pendants and open beadwork.
  3. If the components will undergo plating or another manufacturing process, check Preciosa’s compatibility notes first. The chart’s marked coating restrictions concern those processes.
  4. Handle coated surfaces gently and keep them from rubbing against hard, abrasive components.

Use cords, threads and wires to plan the construction, and the care guide for cleaning a finished mixed-material piece.