GRIFFIN Crimp Beads vs Crimp Tubes: When to Use Each

Choosing between crimp beads and crimp tubes can make a real difference in your jewellery crafting. Crimp beads are small, round, and ideal for lightweight designs where a subtle, barely-there finish matters most. Crimp tubes, on the other hand, offer a stronger hold and a cleaner, more polished look, perfect for heavier pieces or professional-grade work. Knowing when to use each is the mark of a confident, skilled jeweller.

What Are GRIFFIN Crimp Beads?

Crimp beads are small, round or slightly oval metal beads with a relatively large hole diameter for their size. They’re placed onto jewelry wire at the end of a strand, passed through the clasp loop, then compressed using flat-nose or chain-nose pliers (or a dedicated bead crimper) to grip the wire permanently.

Once crimped, the bead collapses inward onto the wire, locking it in place. A second pass of the wire tail back through adjacent beads conceals the remaining wire end for a clean finish. Crimp beads are the simpler, more compact option - well-suited to lighter designs where a small, rounded finish point is appropriate and where the strand is one or two wires.

• Form: Round or slightly oval
• Application: Single-strand or light jewellery
• Finish: Compact and less visible between adjacent beads
• Compression method: Flat pliers or bead crimper
• Available in: 925 sterling silver and 24K gold plated

What Are GRIFFIN Crimp Tubes?

Crimp tubes are cylindrical metal findings, longer than crimp beads but with a similar internal diameter. The tubular form gives them a larger surface area of contact with the wire, which translates directly into greater grip strength and a more secure, professional finish.

When crimped with a dedicated bead crimper tool - which applies a folded crimp rather than a flat crush - crimp tubes produce a rounded, professional finish that’s both secure and aesthetically clean. The folded crimp method effectively creates a double-wall grip around the wire.

• Form: Cylindrical / tubular
• Application: Multi-strand, professional and high-value jewellery
• Finish: Slightly more visible than a crimp bead, but neater when properly folded
• Compression method: Dedicated bead crimper (two-step fold)
• Available in: 925 sterling silver and 24K gold plated

Key Differences: Shape, Strength and Application

The differences between crimp beads and crimp tubes really come down to three things:

Grip surface area: A crimp tube provides more metal-to-wire contact than a bead. For heavier pieces and multi-strand designs, that additional grip is meaningful - not just a theoretical advantage.

Finish aesthetics: A crimp bead, properly compressed, sits flush and compact. A crimp tube, folded correctly using a bead crimper, produces a rounded finish that can be nearly indistinguishable from a decorative bead. For visible end points, the tube often looks more intentional.

Technique required: Crimp beads can be completed with basic flat-nose or chain-nose pliers. Crimp tubes benefit significantly from a dedicated bead crimper tool, which applies a two-stage folded compression rather than a simple crush.

When to Use GRIFFIN Crimp Beads

GRIFFIN Crimp beads are the right choice for lighter, simpler designs where the finishing point isn’t under significant stress and where keeping the visual profile of the end finding minimal is the priority.

• Single-strand bracelets and necklaces with light to medium beads
• Projects where end findings will be covered by a clamshell bead tip, which conceals the crimp entirely
• Designs with fine-diameter GRIFFIN Jewelry Wire (0.25 mm to 0.35 mm)
• Children’s jewellery and fashion pieces not intended for heavy daily wear
• Beaded jewellery with frequent clasp changes, where a simpler finish technique is appropriate

For lightweight, elegant pieces where discretion is the goal, the crimp bead delivers reliably and quickly.

When to Use GRIFFIN Crimp Tubes

Crimp tubes are the professional’s choice for pieces that will face regular tension and wear, or where the integrity of the crimp is the sole security point for a valuable strand.

• Multi-strand necklaces and bracelets where each wire must be individually secured
• Heavier gemstone or bead strands with significant weight
• High-value pieces where the risk of clasp failure must be minimised
• Designs using GRIFFIN Jewelry Wire 0.45 mm and above, including the 49-strand professional wire
• Work where a dedicated bead crimper is used and a folded finish is preferred
• Professional studio work and commission pieces that require a documented, secure construction method

If you’re ever unsure whether to use a crimp bead or a crimp tube, go with the tube. A slightly more secure finish is always the better professional decision.

GRIFFIN 925 Sterling Silver vs 24K Gold Plated

GRIFFIN offers crimp findings in two metal specifications, designed to complement the full range of GRIFFIN Jewelry Wire:

• 925 Sterling Silver: Clean, white metal tone compatible with silver and rhodium-plated findings, GRIFFIN’s Silver Plated Jewelry Wire and cool-toned designs featuring sapphire, amethyst, labradorite and similar stones.

• 24K Gold Plated: Warm, luxurious tone that coordinates with GRIFFIN’s 24K Gold Plated Jewelry Wire and complements warm-toned gemstones including citrine, carnelian, garnet, amber and yellow-gold finished clasps and components.

When specifying findings, always match the crimp metal to the clasp and wire coating. A silver crimp with a gold-plated clasp reads as inconsistency, not intentional contrast.

Matching Crimp Size to Wire Diameter

GRIFFIN Jewelry Wire is available in six diameters: 0.25 mm, 0.30 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.50 mm and 0.60 mm. Matching crimp size to wire diameter is essential - a crimp that’s too large won’t grip, and one that’s too small won’t accommodate the doubled wire when looped through a clasp.

A well-fitted crimp, when compressed, should grip the wire firmly without crushing it to the point of weakening the strands. If you’re new to crimping, test your technique on spare wire before completing a finished piece.

• Thin wire (0.25 to 0.30 mm): Use the smallest crimp bead size; ensure doubled wire still fits through comfortably
• Standard wire (0.35 to 0.45 mm): Standard crimp bead or small crimp tube
• Professional wire (0.50 to 0.60 mm): Crimp tube recommended; provides appropriate grip for heavier wire
• Multi-strand 49-strand wire: Crimp tube required for professional-grade finish and holding strength

The GRIFFIN Bead Crimper Explained

A dedicated bead crimper is a plier-format tool with two specially shaped jaws that apply a two-stage compression to a crimp tube, producing a folded finish rather than a flat crush.

Stage one uses the inner rounded notch to indent the centre of the tube, creating a crease that separates the two wire strands within the crimp. Stage two uses the outer oval notch to fold the crimped tube back on itself, producing a rounded, neat result that closely resembles a standard bead in profile.

A bead crimper isn’t strictly required for crimp beads - flat-nose pliers work fine. But it’s strongly recommended for crimp tubes and for any professional work where the finish quality of the end finding matters. It’s one of the most valuable tools a bead jeweller can add to their kit, and GRIFFIN’s compatible crimper is designed to work specifically with their crimp sizing.

Choose the right crimp for your project, match it to your wire and apply it correctly. The result is a finish that will hold for the life of the piece.