Amber - Hardened resin produced by trees to protect against disease and insect infestation when the bark was damaged. After oozing out, it hardens in wet sediments, such as clay and sand that's formed at the bottom of lagoons or river deltas. It was preserved for millennia in the earth's crust.
	Cane Glass - These beads are handmade by gathering glass on a pipe in a furnace over 2000 degrees. The glass has a core color to which many layers of color from glass or precious metal can be added. A blowpipe is used to blow a bubble into the center of the glass. The glass is pulled, creating a long hollow tube referred to as a cane. The pulled cane is then cooled to room temperature. The cane is hand cut with a diamond saw, then tumbled to smooth out the rough edges. The beads are then fire- polished with a torch or in a kiln for a shiny finish.
	Carnelian - Carnelian is from the heart of the agate. Carnelian has long held a presence in world history and the beliefs and customs of civilizations. From Europe, to Asia, to the Middle East, archeologists have found uses for carnelian. Some of the oldest examples of jewelry contained carnelian. It symbolized authority and great wealth in ancient Egyptian times. In the 16th century, Nigerian kings wore carnelian and presented the stone to esteemed vistors.
	Copal - Beads made from the natural resin of trees sometimes referred to as pom. The word is derived from the Nahuatl language word copalli, meaning incense.
	Copper - Copper is a shiny, orange colored metal that is medium in weight, strong, and easy to shape. The discovery of copper dates to prehistoric times. There are reports of copper beads dating back to 9000 BC found in Iraq.
	Dogon - The Dogon people are an ethnic group located mainly in the districts of Bandiagara and Douentza in Mali, West Africa. Dogons are old glass beads handcrafted by the Dogon People.
	Dzi - Dzi is the Tibetan word for unique bead. Prized by collecters, these rare ancient beads have a rich history in lore and mysticism. Among the many myths and legends that follow the Dzi, the main belief is that the gods created them. They were said to bring luck, ward off evil, and protect the wearer from physical harm.
	German Silver - German Silver is an alloy of 45% - 70% copper, 5% - 30% nickel, and 8% - 45% zinc. Sometimes small amounts of tin or lead are added. It has a color resembling silver. Some German Silver is gold-plated. The discovery of German Silver dates back to the early 19th century and is attributed to the German chemist, E. A. Geitner.
	Givre - These are beads that are either clear or transparent, and that have a cloud of opaque colored glass in the center or in part of the bead.
	Hebron - These beads were made in Hebron before 1880, and could possibly be older than 500 years, as this type of bead first came into production just after the 12th century. They are wound glass and were made by using Dead Sea salt as their alkali.
	Hilltribe Silver - This silver is handmade by the Karen Tribe. Each piece is crafted by hand using techniques passed down from generation to generation. The mix used has a higher silver content at 95% - 99% than sterling silver, which is 92.5% More silver in the mix makes for a softer metal that is easier to bend and shape.
	Kobo -
	Kukui - A Polynesian plant species introduced to the Hawaiian Islands more than a thousand years ago, the kukui, better known as the candlenut, has long been valued. The nuts of this tree provided the ancient Hawaiians with light, oil, relishes and medicine.
	Lampwork Glass - These are handmade glass beads. The artisan creates a bead over an open flame by melting rods of colored glass onto a thin steel rod. Once the bead is created, it can be decorated with different colors of glass, which is melted on to the surface. The bead is then annealed to set the glass.
	Naga - The Nagas were primitive Himalayan peoples between Tibet, India and Burma, with distinctive bead jewelry. Naga Shell is a conch shell, generally found in this region, carved in to beads. Naga was revered for centuries with the ancient culture and traded with sea bordering countries.
	Onyx -
	Padre - Padre beads were used extensively by North American Indians for adornment and trade. Padre beads are wound, opaue glass beads. These beads are believed to have beenn manufactered in the 16 - 18th centuries in China and subseqently traded by the Spanish and Russian traders in the southwest and northwest.
	Pelinut -
	Pidgeon -
	Pumtek - Pumtek beads are found in eastern Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, and are made of fossilized wood. Original Pumtek beads were created during the Pyu period and purchased by the Chin tribes in surrounding areas. These Pumtek were made from the opalized fossilized wood of the palm Borassus flabellifer. Newer Pumtek were made from fossilized wood, probably from the tree Dipterocarpoxylon burmenses.
	Reconstructed Amber - Reconstruction is the process of combining several pieces of similar material with heat and or pressure to produce larger pieces. This process is used in Reconstructed Amber.
	Sherpa Coral - These are glass beads 100 to 400 years old. They were made for the vast majority of Tibetans who could not afford real coral. The Sherpa Coral is highly prized for its significance in Tibetan culture, as red is considered a very auspicious color and brings luck. Most of the coral seen in old Tibetan jewelry is Sherpa Coral.
	Sibucao - These seeds comes from the Caesalpinia sappan (Fabaceae) tree commonly called Sibukaw Tree. The tree is distributed widely in the Philippines. The seeds are used against stomach aches and nervous disorders.
	Spindle Bead - Ecuadorian "Spindle" beads were used to spin cotton and Llama hair. These carved beads can be dated from 1,500 BC to 1,500 AD. Made by two different tribal groups, the designs are either geometric or fanciful fauna.
	Sterling Silver - Sterling is the standard of purity for silver. Sterling Silver denotes any silver alloy in which pure silver makes up at least 92.5 percent of the content.
	Swarovski - Daniel Swarovski registered a patent in 1892 for his machine that cut cystal with greater speed and precision than the manual process. This was the start of one of the most sought after crystal production centers in art history. Swarovski founded his company in the Alps in 1895. in the late 19th century crystals were used to enhance formal wear. Taking advantage of this trend in 1913, Swarovski created his own crystals exclusively for the fashion industry.
	Turquoise - Turquoise is hydrous copper oxide plus aluminum phosphate, formed under high temperatures near copper deposits. The color varies depending on the region it was mined.
	Vermeil - Vermeil is gold plated silver produced either by the fire-gilding method or by electrolysis.
	Vulcanite -
	White Hearts - White Hearts are two layered beads with a translucent outer layer and a white inner layer. These extensively traded North American trade beads were originally made in Europe. Most White Hearts are antique.