Blog Post | Galaxy Beads

A strand of natural gemstone beads and a single cut gemstone can look like two different worlds. One is soft, tactile and made to be threaded. The other is all facets, edges and light. Put them side by side on a workbench and they start talking to each other.

That conversation is the idea behind the name on our stand at the 2026 Perth Gem & Mineral Show. The event guide lists H9 as Galaxy Beads / Unique Gems, and this post explains how the two fit together and how to get the most out of a gem show if you make jewellery.

Two names, one love of natural stones

Galaxy Beads is my boutique selection of natural gemstone beads for jewellers, makers and collectors. I only stock beads I love to design with, so every strand is chosen for its colour, texture and character.

Unique Gems is the connected project focused on cut gemstones. A dedicated Unique Gems website is currently being developed. It hasn't launched, and I'm not sharing a date or web address yet. For now, the show is where the two names meet, and I'd love to talk to you about where Unique Gems is heading.

If you make jewellery, the two sit together naturally. Beads give you length, flow and tactile warmth. Cut stones give you a focal point. Plenty of designs use both.

What to look for at a gem show if you're a maker

You don't need to arrive with a shopping list, but a few things in mind will help you see more clearly. The earth creates extraordinary beauty, and a show has a lot of it in one room.

1. Colour in daylight

Take a stone to the edge of the pavilion where the light is better, or hold it up to your phone torch and then to daylight. Many stones shift between warm and cool light. If a colour will sit next to your skin or your other materials, check it in the conditions it will live in.

2. Shape and how it will sit

Round beads sit evenly and are friendly for beginners. Rondelles and faceted beads catch more light. Freeform and nugget shapes bring a more organic look. A cut stone's outline, such as an oval, pear or square, will change the feel of the piece. Think about how each shape will rest on the body or hang from a wire.

3. Scale

Size is where good ideas go wrong. A 6 mm bead and a 12 mm bead behave very differently in a bracelet, and a large cut stone can overpower a slim chain. Bring a ruler or a printed size guide. Our sizes and shapes guide is a helpful reference before you go.

4. Surface and character

Look closely. Natural stones have inclusions, banding, veining and small variations, and that's part of their story. Decide which of those you love and which you'd rather avoid in a finished piece. Our materials guide covers many common stones in more detail.

5. How the stone will be set or strung

Ask yourself how you'll finish it. Beads need to be drilled and strung on wire, thread or elastic. A cut gemstone may need a setting, a wrap or a pendant mount. A stone you can't picture finishing is one to think about before buying.

Ideas for combining beads and cut stones

These are design ideas to try, not a list of what's on the table at H9:

A beaded strand with one focal stone. A single cut gemstone as a pendant on a strand of natural beads in a related colour.
A bracelet with a feature stone. A short run of beads either side of a faceted stone set in a simple frame.
Earrings with a colour story. Small beads above, a cut stone below, picking up the same family of colours.
An Earth & Ocean palette. Greens, blues and sandy neutrals work together beautifully. Our Earth & Ocean colour guide has more palette ideas.

Come and talk it through at H9

I'm at stand H9 from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November at Pavilion 6, Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre. Bring a project, a photo or just your curiosity. I'd love to hear what you're making and which colours you keep coming back to. Making jewellery is joyful, and your creativity matters.

Not sure where to start? These are the questions I'd ask you:

What are you making, and who is it for?
Which colours do you keep reaching for?
Do you like a smooth, polished feel or something more natural and textured?
Would a single focal stone suit the piece, or a full strand of beads?

Keep reading

Happy creating, Wendy

Natural Gemstone Beads and Cut Gems: Meet Galaxy Beads and Unique Gems at H9