These beads are new Chinese crystal. They have an amazing deep blue color that you could lose yourself in. The faceting is crisp and the beads also have an AB coating. The shine is amazing. The face of the bead is faceted and rises in the center culminating in a flat peak. The bead is 9 mm thick. It has a smooth edge around the side. There are about 36 beads on each strand and each strand is 17 inches long.