A focal bead is the bead your eye goes to first. It can be a little larger than its neighbours, a different colour, or carved into a shape you can follow with your eye. Look at the whole bracelet first. Then move closer and see what makes that one bead stand out.
Rose Ripple uses size and transparency
From a distance, Rose Ripple is a soft band of pink. Up close, the 16 mm clear quartz centre stands out against the 14 mm rose quartz rounds. The small shift in size changes the outline of the bracelet. The change in transparency is easier to see when you turn the piece toward a window. See how the two stones look side by side in our rose quartz and clear quartz guide.
Azure Reverie follows a line of blue
Start with the clear quartz strand in Azure Reverie. Follow the clear spacers to the carved aquamarine lotus, then to the dark-blue woven knot and the tassel. The petals show best in light from the side. The long tassel extends the colour beyond the strand, so the piece has a different outline when you let it hang.
Aquamarine is a blue to green-blue variety of beryl. In this bracelet, the quartz carries the transparent look of the strand, while the aquamarine provides the carved detail and a note of blue. The cover is based on a supplier photograph, with the background and composition edited.
Choose the detail you’ll notice when you wear it
If you spend much of the day in long sleeves, look at how far the focal bead rises above the strand. If you’re drawn to a tassel, see where it falls when your hand is resting. A large round bead can sit quietly beside a plain cuff. A hanging element is easier to see with the wrist uncovered.
Explore A Drop of Light to compare focal beads by size, colour and shape.
Read more in GIA’s aquamarine description.