For crystals i totally depend on www.inmcrystal.com - i've been doing business with them for over 10 years now - very dependable and great pricing too - they're in florida and i'm in california and i get my order within one week

For findings i use www.kamaltrading.com - but i have to admit that i've spoiled now - i used to search for them at the santa monica bead show and have to spend an hour waiting to get waited on - but they have a store in anaheim now and it's TOTAL HEAVEN - limited hours - check their website

For chunky beads and unusual stuff and sometimes for crystals that i can't find at inm i like to shop ebay - i look for vendors that have 99+ ratings - and watch out for the shipping costs! -

and then of course are the jewelry shows where i go just to look .. hahahahahahahaha.. and spend a fortune in the process.. so much fun! - i found www. bonitacreations.com there - and i TOTALLY trust their merchandise.. i have a fear at the bead shows that some of the stuff that we see isn't real? - but i totally trust bonita ..

ok - tell me where you buy your stuff! - debbiev.

I'm going to have to check out your sources and some of the stores next time I'm in the Los Angeles area (my brother lives there so I go out a lot). So far I've stuck with FireMountain Gems. There are some beadstores in the city (Manhattan) but they're not fantastic, just useful when you gotta have it NOW! I do charm bracelets so flea markets are good sources for me too.

I like finedings.com for my findings. Their prices are very competitive, shipping charges very reasonable and the quality was great. SOmeone here mentioned the site in another topic and upon searching many websites, I found them to be the cheapest overall for the things I wanted. I am still searching for a good site for beads. There are just so many of them, lol. RIght now, I am looking for a very specific bead, and have been unable to locate it. So far, I have gotten most of my beads from Ebay. I have been pretty lucky so far and have only been unhappy once and the seller resolved it quickly.

Amy

I was just about to post a similar question. I've been using a supplier I found on Ebay for most of my beads. The prices were great and my first few orders were beautiful, but lately I've been getting lots of broken and chipped beads. I got a strand of blue lace agate chips that had so many dark marks that there was no way I could use it in anything I intended on selling, and now I'm sitting here looking at three labradorite pendants that don't have any of the blue "glow" that labradorite should have...so when I put them next to "good" labradorite they look like crappy quartz......AND...I just made a mans necklace using a strand of black onyx tube beads that had quite a few chipped and cracked beads that actually look suspiciously like glass to me.

I'm really disappointed so it's time to find a new gemstone supplier.

I tried the kamal trading website. Great selection but they don't have any prices listed. At least none I could find, and when I called the toll free # there was no answer.

I too love inmcrystal. bluemud has great selection and prices, although often stocking problems. beadsandpieces is another favorite. finedings and gemshow-online are very good too.

Artbeads.com is great for those things you forgot to put on your big order from somewhere else or when you just need a few of something for a project. There S&H is free so when compared to others that charge S&H they can be cheaper. I also like bluemud, beads of Bali, R&T, FMG - not for good gems though. Occassionally RocknRocks and of course E-bay.

Joanne

I am in Canada so I try to find sources near me....BUT...I have to say, my fav is Fire Mountain Gems....they have a fabulous catalogue, reasonable prices, quick shipping and free gifts!
I think it is a mistake NOT to have a catalgue..I love flipping through while I watch tv.
Also I buy from Beazu or Beadworks in British Columbia...except it is wholesale only..and they have a minimum...and they have stock issues often!

I love Fire Mountain!

i have been buying hilltribes silver for earrings and pendants. i love the style as it has like petroglyphs, very tribal! it sells good here. but the prices have gone up where i buy them at firemountain gems. is there another, cheaper scource for that?

Debbiev, I'm going to have to try Kamaltrading. Are they open on the weekends? I didn't see the hours on the website. I buy at lot of my findings from
finedings.com, their customer service is great. fast and reasonable shipping too. I go downtown LA to Bella's Findings House and A and P Trading for my beads. I find that their quaility and selections are good. I also get most of my Swaroski crystals from bohemian Crystal on Maple St. downtown LA. Great prices and fantasic selection although customer's service leaves a lot to be desired. I also use Ebay and go to the bead shows whenever I can find one. My favorite is Gemfaire.

www.bluemud.com - the cheapest place to buy sterling silver, low shipping charge, quantity discounts, huge charm selection. Also very good Swarovski prices. Not too good at keeping things in stock, and terrible about answering questions about when stuff will be in. But overall one my favorite suppliers; the prices can't be beat and they are very reliable and fast.

www.artbeads.com - free shipping, good source for sterling silver wire (bluemud doesn't have it), pewter beads, plated findings. Prices kinda high, but free shipping makes it a good choice for small amounts of things.

www.jewelweaver.com - nice, reasonably priced stones with genuinely honest descriptions and great customer service. Unreliable stock - they go to gem shows, buy stuff, and then sell out after a while. Silver prices so-so, never beats bluemud. But the stones are great! Probably my favorite unusual stones supplier.

www.deepwoodart.com - large hole gold and silver dipped ceramic beads.

www.ebay.com - ebay often has the best stone prices. Favorite gemstone sellers: deedee4759 (for basic rounds and such - nice quality, good prices), jaime973 (more quality and unusual stones and cuts, pics can sometimes be a tiny bit too flattering, but overall very nice stuff), lqgemworks (huge selection including rare stones, sometimes very good prices, kinda vague descriptions). Just placed an order with twinklehut, looks possibly good for higher-end stones and cuts.

Hi,
I order from INMCrystal.com practically every week. I can't seem to find better prices, stock, and service for Swarovski. I like tobead.com, but their selection isn't as wide.
I also use Bluemud.com for silver, but need to order a lot to get a good price.
I like finedings.com a lot.
I also like Deepwood Art for the ceramic beads and hand-dyed cords. Love her eye.
I usually get discounts at local bead stores and buy my lampwork and dichroic either at bead shows or eBay and justbeads.com. Right now I've been having a problem with overbuying lampwork. Need a 12 step program.
Lynn
www.desiderata.us

Molokai, Check out www.somersetsilver.com for Hill Tribe (wholesale by the gram) or for smaller quantities www.fusionbeads.com. I use both. Great prices and great service.

thanks for all of your input .. i will shop around at the different sites you mentioned! - deb

I've used:

FMG, Rings and Things, Luvbead, Spacetrader, and eBay.

My favourite (BY FAR) is FMG.