Czech Fire-polished Beads – A Guide to Bead Coatings and Effects

Coatings and Effects on Czech Fire-polished Beads

Czech fire-polished beads are one of the most popular Czech glass beads and come in a great array of colours with various coatings and effects.  They are therefore a good choice for looking at some of the most popular colour options for Czech beads in general.  You will often find these coatings and effects used on other Czech glass beads such as CzechMates and Les Perles par Puca bead ranges.  We have highlighted here some of the most popular colours that you are likely to come across.

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Plain opaque colours

One of the most popular plain colours is jet.  Plain colours such as chalk and alabaster are also widely used as the base for various coatings and effects.

Plain transparent colours

These are some of the most popular Czech fire-polished beads and come in a large range of sparkling colours

Half-coated

These Czech fire-polished beads beads have a coating applied to half the bead.  Common examples are gold and silver half coated beads which have a shiny metallic finish.

Fully coated beads including iris colours

The coating is applied to the whole bead.  The examples below have a shiny metallic finish applied to the whole bead.

Other popular examples of fully coated beads include iris colours.

AB colours

This very popular coating is named after the stunning Aurora Borealis lights.  It is normally a half-coating on fire-polished beads which may be applied to a transparent crystal bead, a transparent colour or an opaque colour.

Other half coated effects such as vitrail medium

This is similar to AB but in stronger colours on a transparent crystal bead.

Magic Colours

The magic colours are a set of six coloured effects which are also based on a transparent bead with the most popular being the lovely blue pink.

California Colours

These beads are half or fully coated with a shiny metallic finish.  One of the most popular is the fully coated California gold rush. Colours like Califoria blue on a crystal bead give vibrant flashes of colour.

Matt Metallic

Very popular metallic look coatings, often in neutral tones such as gold, silver and copper.  The matt metallic mixes are also widely available

Pastel

This popular group of colours comes in a very large range of shades which are often vibrant.  You can easily mix them with all sorts of shapes and sizes of other Czech beads as they are widely available.

Chalk

This is a small but popular range of colours with a chalk base which you can use to give a lovely subtle effect.

Chalk based beads are also available with some beautiful finishes such as the very popular blue lazure

Lustre

The lustre coating give a beautiful shiny finish to the bead, whether transparent or opaque.  It is often used on a chalk bead which gives a beautifully subtle effect.

Tweedy

A tweedy coating gives a flecked effect on an opaque bead.  Colours such as gold, silver and blue are often used on over a jet fire-polished bead base.

Opaque Picasso

These are often applied to blue, green and red beads and give a mottled effect.  The result can be rich and luscious and may be used as an alternative to some semi-precious beads. You can also use them to create lovely contrasts with plain opaque beads.

Opaque Travertine

This is similar to a Picasso effect but has a slightly different patterning.  A common example is jet travertine.

Opaque Nebula

These full coatings give an intense and varied colour to the bead.  You can therefore use them to create a rich and opulent look.