GRIFFIN High Performance Bead Cord: Complete Technical Review

Most bead cord handles most jewellery just fine. But there are situations where conventional thread simply isn’t up to the job: heavy gemstones with narrow drill holes, pieces where failure isn’t an option, beads with sharp internal edges that slowly cut through cord under tension. For those situations, GRIFFIN built something fundamentally different. The GRIFFIN High Performance Bead Cord draws on the strongest synthetic fibres available and produces a cord that cannot be broken by hand and that’s not marketing language. This guide looks at what that actually means day-to-day and where this unbreakable bead cord belongs in a professional toolkit.

What is GRIFFIN High Performance Cord?

GRIFFIN High Performance Bead Cord is a professional-grade stringing cord built from ultra-high-tech synthetic fibres - described by GRIFFIN as the strongest fibres in the world. It uses the same Z-Twist triple twisted construction found throughout the GRIFFIN Carded Bead Cord range, which gives it a round, smooth profile and consistent handling despite its exceptional strength.

Unlike the Natural Silk and NylonPower ranges, High Performance comes in white only and covers 10 sizes (No. 0 through No. 10) rather than 13. That focused range makes sense given its purpose: this isn’t an everyday cord. It’s a technical solution for demanding work where standard cords carry real risk of failure.

Key specifications:

• Material: Ultra-high-tech synthetic fibre, the strongest fibre category available

• Strength: 15x stronger than steel by weight

• Cannot be broken by hand

• Twist: Triple twisted, Z-Twist

• Colours: White only

• Sizes: 10 sizes, No. 0 (0.30 mm) through No. 10 (0.90 mm)

• Tangling: Does not tangle

• Fraying: Does not fray

• Feel: Soft and smooth despite its technical composition

15x Stronger Than Steel: What That Measurement Actually Means

Saying a cord is 15x stronger than steel sounds dramatic, but it’s a precise technical claim based on tensile strength relative to weight - a standard engineering measurement called specific strength or strength-to-weight ratio.

Steel is an extraordinarily strong material in absolute terms. The fact that the ultra-high-tech synthetic fibres at the heart of GRIFFIN High Performance cord outperform steel’s specific strength by a factor of 15 puts them in the same territory as materials used in aerospace, ballistic protection and marine engineering. This isn’t a jewellery-industry convention. It’s a measurable material science fact.

What this translates to in the workshop:

• A very fine diameter of High Performance cord carries a load that would normally need a much thicker conventional strand to match

• At jewellery-making sizes (No. 0 to No. 10), the cord has a safety margin that far exceeds anything a bead load will place on it under normal - or even extreme - wear

• The cord fits through very narrow bead holes where only fine cord will physically pass, yet still delivers strength that eclipses any equivalent-diameter silk or nylon by a considerable margin

Put plainly: When paired with the right findings, GRIFFIN High Performance cord ensures that your thread is never the failure point of a design. Its superior tensile strength shifts the structural focus to the clasp and beads, providing a lifetime of security for your finest work.

GRIFFIN High Performance Compared to Natural Silk & NylonPower

The three main GRIFFIN cord types each serve a distinct purpose. Here’s how they compare based on confirmed GRIFFIN product specifications:

The main thing to take away from this: High Performance isn’t a replacement for silk or NylonPower. It’s a specialist tool for jobs those cords weren’t designed for. Each one has its place.

GRIFFIN High Performance Size Guide: No. 0 to No. 10

High Performance is available in 10 sizes covering the range most commonly needed for gemstone and bead stringing. Note that it doesn’t extend to the larger sizes in Natural Silk and NylonPower (No. 12 and No. 16) - which makes sense given that it’s primarily used with beads that have narrower drill holes relative to their size.

Note: No. 9 is not listed in GRIFFIN’s published High Performance range. When you’re unsure between sizes, try the smaller size first and test for a snug fit with slight resistance through the bead hole.

GRIFFIN’s High Performance ultra strong bead cord is available in packs of 10 and 5 pieces.

When to Choose GRIFFIN High Performance Over Other Cords

When you’re working with heavy stones, sharp-edged gemstones, or delicate pearls with the finest of drill holes, GRIFFIN High Performance is the cord you reach for - built for exceptional tensile strength, zero stretch, and the kind of durability that keeps a piece together for years.

High Performance is the right call in four specific situations:

Heavy gemstones with small drill holes: Beads like hematite, lapis lazuli and dense carved stone often combine real weight with narrow, precision-drilled holes. This puts extreme stress on the cord at the hole edge. High Performance passes through fine holes while carrying loads that would snap conventional thread. This is particularly relevant for rock crystal and quartz (whose hardness produces sharp, precise edges), dense carved or faceted stones with tight drill tolerances, and small briolette-drilled pendants that must hold under full pendant weight on a single pass.

Security-critical and high-value pieces: When working with expensive natural gems, pearls, or heavy beads - where failure carries real financial or sentimental consequences - High Performance cord offers superior strength that conventional materials can’t match, ensuring the piece holds for years of regular wear.

Beads with sharp or rough internal drill holes: Some gemstones have edges at the drill hole that aren’t fully smoothed. Over time, with movement, those edges work on the cord. High Performance resists this abrasion better than standard cords.

Professional studio and repair work: Jewellers restringing pieces that have already broken once often choose High Performance as an upgrade that reduces the chances of it happening again.

If none of these apply, Natural Silk or NylonPower are still the better choice for their respective uses. The white-only colour of High Performance also limits it when thread colour between beads matters aesthetically.

When fitting High Performance through a challenging bead hole, always test the fit before starting your project. The cord should pass through with resistance, not with force. If you’re forcing it, the cord is too large for that hole and you risk damaging the bead - drop down one size.

Working with GRIFFIN High Performance: Knotting Tips

The ultra-high-tech fibre construction gives High Performance cord different handling qualities to silk or nylon. It’s worth getting familiar with these before using it on a finished piece for the first time.

• Initial stiffness: High Performance has a slightly firmer feel than silk. That’s a function of the fibre technology, not a quality issue. It settles with handling and doesn’t meaningfully affect the finished drape of a piece.

• Knot tightening: The cord’s smooth, non-elastic surface means knots should be tightened slowly and deliberately. Use an awl or pin to position the knot precisely before pulling firm - rushing this step can cause the knot to seat badly.

• Knot security: Once seated properly, knots hold well. The triple-twisted Z-Twist construction grips itself under tension just like GRIFFIN’s other cord types.

• Avoid sharp cutting angles: When trimming the tail after knotting or gluing, cut cleanly and close to the knot. The fibre doesn’t fray, so a clean cut is tidy and permanent.

• No pre-stretching required: Unlike some elastic or semi-elastic cords, High Performance doesn’t need pre-stretching before use. Work straight from the card.

• Use GRIFFIN Bead Cord Glue at termination points: For maximum security at clasps or knot ends, a small amount of GRIFFIN’s specialist bead cord glue on the finishing knot locks everything permanently.

Pricing and Where to Buy GRIFFIN High Performance Cord

GRIFFIN High Performance Bead Cord is available through authorised GRIFFIN stockists and specialist jewellery supply retailers across the world. As a technical product rather than a standard craft supply, you’re more likely to find it at professional jewellery wholesalers and trade suppliers than at general craft retailers.

Because it only comes in white and has specialist applications, many professional jewellers keep High Performance alongside their standard Natural Silk and NylonPower stock, reaching for it specifically for gemstone and high-security work rather than using it as a general-purpose swap.

For trade accounts, volume pricing and stockist enquiries, contact your regional GRIFFIN distributor directly. For individual purchase, authorised online retailers stock the full size range.

GRIFFIN High Performance cord is built for the jobs where everything else falls short. When you need it, nothing else comes close.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is GRIFFIN High Performance cord only available in white?

High Performance is a technical product for specialist use, primarily heavy gemstone stringing and security-critical work. In most of those applications, the cord isn’t visible between beads or is concealed within the bead hole, so colour matching isn’t a priority. The product specification reflects that.

What is the largest size available in GRIFFIN High Performance?

The largest is No. 10 at 0.90 mm diameter. The range doesn’t extend to the No. 12 or No. 16 sizes available in Natural Silk and NylonPower, which reflects its primary use with beads that need finer cord.

Is GRIFFIN High Performance cord available with a needle pre-attached?

Yes. Like all GRIFFIN Carded Bead Cord, High Performance comes with a needle pre-attached on the card, ready to use straight from the pack.

Can GRIFFIN High Performance cord be used with bead tips or clamshells?

Yes. Standard finishing methods apply - clamshell bead tips, squeeze capsules and conventional knotting at the clasp loop all work with High Performance cord in the same way as with Natural Silk or NylonPower.