Versatile
Teardrop and briolette beads are among the most interesting shapes to make jewelry from. The rounded outline is pleasing to the eye, giving a classical and natural harmony to the design – and almost all types of gemstones are available in these shapes.
Meaning
Briolette comes from the Italian word “brio”, meaning lively energy, and the dictionary definition of the word is “a gem cut in the shape of a teardrop or oval”. However, briolette beads come in many different forms. Like elongated and skinny, short and fat, and flat and round – as well as smooth and faceted with many faces cut from the stone.
History
Briolette jewelry arrived in Europe from India in the early 17-century, but went out of fashion after a hundred-years, until its popularity revived during the Victorian period. Since then, this elegant cut has always been associated with quality and luxury. Briolette diamonds and gems dazzle in the crown jewels of the Austrian, Russia, British and France royal families, showing off their facets from all angles.
Types of jewelry to make
The drop of a briolette is ideal to dangle as a pendant on a necklace. Not only does this make it easy to make jewelry, but because they can be mounted several ways, designs can be more varied. Try using the same briolette gemstones to make earrings to match a necklace. Not only does this look good to wear, but increases your profit by selling matching sets.
Style
However you use this pleasing shape, it will have wide-appeal and create dressy jewelry that always sells well. Furthermore, the shape never really goes out of fashion and the interesting curves teardrop or a briolette makes are always appealing to the eye. Plus, many of these beads are cut multi-faceted, creating sparkles that catch the eye in bright light – similar to the crystals hanging on a chandelier.
Types of gemstone available in this shape
If you buy your jewelry-making supplies online, many stores allow you to choose by shape, making finding briolette beads fast and easy. Some of the most-popular briolette beads readily available are cut from:
- Agate
- Amber
- Aventurine
- Bronzite
- Carnelian
- Citrine
- Crystal & Glass
- Gaspeite
- Jade
- Lave
- Millefori
- Moonstone
- Peridot
- Quartz & Chalcedony
- Turquoise
Economical shape
Briolette shaped beads go a long way because you only need to use a few to make a necklace or bracelet. Adding too many makes the design look cheap and dilutes the magical effect of these beads. Add little round beads and silver spacers either side of your teardrops for extra effect.