I ams so pleased with these beads. For the bracelet I am surrently working on, in which the predominant color is blue, I am using two of them. I have used them prior to this in other bracelets also. I find that this bead is great for emphacizing and modulating the multiple colors of the other blue beads that I have. I have blue beads with streaks, flowers and dots. It can be rather busy looking. I break up this busyness through the use of these solid colored faceted glass beads. It makes them look less fussy and more organized. Sometimes, I put several charms on my bracelet in addition to beads and sometimes I just use beads. It just depends on how I feel that day. I have enough beads and charms (Finally) that I can mix and match them and make different colors and types of bracelets that fit my mood or match the clothing or occasion of the day. It is fun, but can be awfully time consuming if the beads and charms are not organised. That is why I like this blue faceted bead so much (and faceted beads in other colors). It seems that only a few of the beads are solid colors and these faceted ones make nice 'breakers" or "spacers" between the between the pretty, highly colored beads. In addition to using them to space between busy colored beads, I often use them to space between various colors of beads. Right now, I am putting together a bracelet of Lonelinks beads. Lovelinks beads tend to be pricier than the regular Pandora knock offs. In fact, they are a British rival for the American Pandora bead. They are very nice. I am putting together grey, blue, and red in one bracelet. These blue faceted beads, and I am using two on this bracelet, are a means to separating the colors. Lovelinks also makes a faceted bead, but their version is currently selling for $34, but that just seems rediculous when I can get a faceted bead this nice from Bling. Lovelinks beads are a bit bigger, both in width and height, than the average Bling bead,but this faceted edition is big enough to keep pace with Lovelinks. No need to spend $34!
The first person who wrote a review on this bead noted that her beads were not all the same size. These beads are made of glass and are idividual works of art with each one being handmade, not popped into a mold. So the sizes do vary here and there, but not to a great degree. The one size that I have seen that you need to worry about on these beads is the size of the middle hole. Some companies, Beadaholiqe for instance, sells some glass beads at very inexpensive prices and they do offer faceted beads. I have just ordered some and had to send them back because the size of the hole was too small for the bracelet. I do not recommend those, but I have been very happy with my Bling faceted beads and have bracelets with blue ones that I have been wearing for a year. I am pretty rough on them, but Bling products always hold up well. If you are looking for a faceted bead, blue in particular, I suggest that this is your best bet. I do notice that they label this bead as Turquoise, but it is actually blue. If you want a faceted bead that is more turquoise in color, I suggest their teal one.
I found a nice product on Amazon that cleans all my beads and I store them with anti-tarnish strips so the silver parts do not get tarnished. I will put links to those products for you. It was a hassle to find one product that cleaned, Sterling, Rhodium, Platinum, gold, plate and all the various things that these beads are made of. Plus storing them with anti tarnish strips or squares has saved me tons of time in cleaning. Hope that info keeps you from doing more work than you have to and allows you lots of time for "Happy Bead Shopping."<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Connoisseurs-Jewellery-Wipes-25-s/dp/B0007CK664/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Connoisseurs Jewellery Wipes 25's</a><a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Hagerty-70000-Set-of-8-2-by-7-Inch-Silver-Protection-Strips-for-Silver-Storage-Blue/dp/B000J2VCJW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Hagerty 70000 Set of 8 2-by-7-Inch Silver Protection Strips for Silver Storage, Blue</a><a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/3M-Tarni-Shield-Tabs-Anti-Tarnish-Tabs-for-Many-Metals-Pack-of-10/dp/B004NJ4VPE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">3M Tarni-Shield Tabs Anti-Tarnish Tabs for Many Metals - Pack of 10</a><a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Lovelinks-by-Aagaard-Sterling-Silver-Aqua-Ice-Bead-with-Murano-Glass/dp/B004Q6VSBE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Lovelinks by Aagaard - Sterling Silver Aqua Ice Bead with Murano Glass</a><a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Bling-Jewelry-Teal-Green-925-Sterling-Silver-Faceted-Crystal-Bead-Chamilia-Pandora-Compatible/dp/B0042Z5BP8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Bling Jewelry Teal Green 925 Sterling Silver Faceted Crystal Bead Chamilia Pandora Compatible</a>