The standard size for BBHB-S, a "small" Rainier Cherry bead, is about 13mm high and about 16mm wide. This is a good size for earrings because they are not too heavy. It also works well for bracelets, or these beads can be grouped two or three at a time to make pendants. If you need your Bing Cherry beads to be a particular size or degree of ripeness, please let me know when you order.

Each glass cherry bead is made one at a time by melting the base red glass onto a loop of 18-gauge copper wire. Because the loop is embedded in the glass, the wire can never be pulled free from the bead. The end of the wire stem has been melted in the flame to round it over so it will not catch on clothing. As you can see in the upper photo, the stem is about 2 inches long. You can make a loop and twist the stem as shown in the lower photo - I do this when making my Bing Cherry earrings. You can also make a standard wrapped loop or you cut the stem short (about 8mm long) and make it into a simple loop. These last methods work best for bracelets.

The Glass Bing Cherry beads you see here have a speckled surface just like real Bing cherries do. The surface colors from light red through medium to darkest purple red are created by applying mixtures of five different colors of powdered opaque glass. During this time-consuming process each coat must be melted in smoothly before applying the next. Since no paint is used on the glass cherries the color will not rub, flake or chip off. No two cherries are ever exactly alike.