Bedazzler gems: which rhinestones to buy

The three kinds of bedazzling gems

Acrylic gems also exist, mostly in children’s kits; they are the cheapest and the least sparkly. The full comparison is in Resin vs glass rhinestones.

Sizes, shapes and finishes

• Size: resin gems are sold in millimeters (2–6 mm), glass in SS sizes. 3 mm ≈ SS12. See the Rhinestone size chart.
• Shape: round flatbacks do almost all the work. Hearts, stars and teardrops are accents.
• AB finish: an iridescent rainbow coating on resin or glass.
• Jelly finish: translucent colored resin — the look behind most fully covered tumblers.
• Color: crystal (clear), crystal AB, black and pink are the most-used single colors.

How many gems to buy

At 3 mm, plan on about 10 gems per cm² (64–68 per square inch). A full 30 oz tumbler takes around 7,200; a phone case about 1,400. Mixed tubs look huge, but 50,000 gems across 40 colors is only about 1,250 of each — often not enough for the main color. The How many rhinestones do I need? works it out for any shape.

Refills

For glue-on and hotfix kits, a refill is just more gems of the same type and size: match resin to resin, hotfix to hotfix, and SS size to SS size. Stud and prong setters are different: their studs and settings are sized to the tool, so buy refills made for it (Rhinestone and stud setters).

Premium crystal

Branded premium crystal, such as Swarovski or Preciosa, has more precise facets and coatings and is priced accordingly. It is used on performance costumes and bridal work, glued or hotfixed like any other glass gem.