There are all sorts of pearls, and they vary in shape, colour, quality etc., and also have, quite simply, different characteristics. I would like to give a brief insight as to what is available and what the different types are. It was and it is still to some extent difficult even for me to recognize the differences. I hope I can contribute something to your understanding with my medley of beads.

  Types of beads    

Seed Beads

Also called Rocailles. They are mainly produced in the Czech Republic but also in India, Japan and China. They are formed from long, round glass sticks and then cut.

Stiftperlen (Pin pearls) are, like the name says, little pins which you can buy as smooth or also twisted beads. The edges are often very sharp, so that you should take care in the choice of thread being used for the piece of jewelry

2 cut

2-Cut are short pin pearls, often also hexagonal. 

Delicas

Delicas are produced in Japan and are exactly the same size. As a result of this, however, they are also fundamentally more expensive than seed beads

Material         

Wood, glass, bone, Fimo, sculpture, wax pearls, cultured pearls, paper     

Types of colour

Opaque -- not transparent

Transparent -- transparent

Iridescent -- Pearls shimmer in rainbow colours

Matt-- matt, velvety surface

Lustre-- milky glimmer

Ceylon -- pastel colours     

Sizes

  6/0      -      ca.4,3mm 

     8/0      -      ca.3,1mm    

 10/0      -      ca.2,3mm 

11/0      -      ca.2,1mm

13/0      -      ca.1,7mm

   15/0      -      ca.1,5mm   

Threads    

Nymo, Quilting thread, Pearl thread

Wires  

Silver wire, copper wire, brass wire