Starting to be one of the Hop Queen's favorite places to stop in at, while we're driving by. She always finds some sort of bits and bobs she "has to have" for whatever craft project she's working on. Sometimes you have to handle the raw materials, catalog orders can only go so far. Well worth stopping in and having a look! read more

Okay, I received the second order, 2 days earlier than projected, which is fantastic on what turned out to be a sort of ling timeline for delivery, based on past deliveries from. Sister business in same area/if not same company. I had order single stones in sets of 5, that were quite expensive and received a couple stones that were awesome and unusable-which, would be my complaint *pending I find out any of these orders are glass or compounds rather than the natural stones that are advertised. The 3d turquoise clover in 10 mm *which also, was 8 mm~one stone was not usable. These are stones not on a strand but instead orders of 5 or 10 counts. I expect nicer quality. A strand will have stones that are chipped, not cut or drilled properly but if I am purchasing a loose stone, I want to be able to use it. I dont mind the stone size-I am using g the others for some pretty earrings but sizing is off, on everything. I am ordering a couple more strands because I am making very pretty bracelets but I cannot tell a customer, with confidence, these are genuine stones, so I can't price accordingly and will not break even for these collections at this point. I just dont want to lose money on returns or bad publicity. So I will say this-if you are purchasing for art/crafts and your gifting or personal enjoyment, this is a terrific hub to purchase. The stones really are pretty and fun. You can make BEAUTIFUL jewelry/crafts, for sure. I WILL order again. I am aware it is possible some are not authentic as listed. They have nice sales. If you buy 500 plus, awesome discounts. I recommend this business 100%, with caveat-this is likely not jeweler authentic stones 100% of the time. If you are just making fun stuff-who cares...the stones are pretty. *I do want loose stones to be as nice as tgey can be is my only complaint read more

Online customer here. After trying various suppliers (both in person / online), I have found Intrinsic Trading to be of the best quality, price, and consistency. They are fast, efficient, and dependable. I recommend them to everyone in the market for some good quality beads. read more

I don't have access to a brick and mortar bead store where I live so I was very excited to go to this store while visiting my daughter. The selection is amazing and the quality of the beads is far above anything I've ordered online. The prices are a bit higher but I felt they were within reason given the quality. Now that I know about it, it will be my go-to store for my future online purchases. I need to add that the staff were very helpful as well. read more

I ordered a UV reactive Quartz which had no reactivity in UV lighting and there was no feedback option on their website....interesting. And they stuck me with return shipping for a product they falsely advertised. Wow, I will not be doing business with them again. read more

Wow. So much entitlement in these reviews. This is a huge online business with (fortunately for us) a brick and mortar warehouse that's open to the public. The employees are working hard to restock and fill orders so if you need handholding or if your name is Karen this may not be the place for you. The customer is not always right and businesses have a right to not deal with customers who take advantage or make their job difficult. They are not gemologists so you'll need to do your own research. Gemstones vary greatly in their hardness as well. Some will break if you drop them or try to enlarge the hole too aggressively. I've learned this the hard way and the common denominator has been the gemstone, not the business. If you have concerns check the mohs hardness scale. This business has the most incredible selection of gemstones and having the ability to see and touch and choose my own stones is such a huge gift. I like to meander and think and take it slow as I no longer live in Austin and visit when I can; this business makes it possible and comfortable to do so. I've purchased from this business many times in the past and have never had an issue with being overcharged etc... People do make mistakes but to generalize a single event is a bit much. The selection in the shop is out of this world but they don't carry EVERYTHING. Giving a negative rating because they don't carry plastic seed beads is ridiculous. Go to Hobby Lobby. Enough said. Now go and have fun and thank them on your way out because damn!! that's a lot of amazing gemstones!! read more

My favorite bead store !!! Prices are better than hobby lobby that's for sure. Only complaint would be to PAY ATTENTION to the prices. The cashier tried over charging us but I already had the total in my calculator, thankfully she changed the price but definitely pay attention to the prices & what not. read more

I went looking for seed beads to add sparkle to a knitting project. Would you believe they don't have any?? Me either. The beads they do have are arranged in no discernible way. I asked for help and they didn't have a clue either. Baffling and disorganized and ultimately uncomfortable. You'd have better luck at Michaels and that's just sad. read more

Great semiprecious bead store in Leander! Finally a great place to buy stones, beads and a variety of related products. Only negative I can say is- if you are disabled- the trays are not low enough for someone in a wheelchair to see the product. They have some less expensive items to the far right as you enter the door. Friendly staff to assist. Will return! read more

Intrinsic Trading - Bagging a few deals with friends. - Art Supplies Near Me - Cedar Park, Texas

I received my order Order #45274 placed on May 28, 2024 and I am a little perplexed. I bought 4 different strands of AAA quality. Out of 4 different strands that are supposed to be AAA quality,only 2 strands can be considered AAA in fact. AAA Natural Amethyst Faceted 6 mm strand looks defective, badly cut and contains a lot of opaque beads with inclusions and absolutely not AAA. The same happens with Faceted AAA Fiery Natural Sunstone Round Beads 4 mm: Nearly half the beads are with bad inclusions and look as if were ground against emery paper. It is incredible that something like this is called AAA quality. I asked for a replacement for these two strands as they are not worth their money. Or offer me acceptable solution, because I cannot use these two strands for anything nice, they are simply bad and cheap quality! But the Seller insisting I should pay the cost of sending the back yo him which is equivalent to the value of both defective strands!!! This is a rip off!!! The Seller marked the stones that I bought as AAA quality. The stones he has sent me do not comply with these characteristics (although both amethyst and sunstone tend to be generally quire clear when found in nature). He sent me low quality stones, knowing very well that the cost of sending them back will not justify the effort. I find it dishonest practice! I want to get my money back as you descriptions of these two items on your website is deceptive and fraudulent. More so, there is no opportunity to leave my opinion of the product on the Seller's website. I insist on the full refund for the specified two items that arrived very low quality, contrary to your AAA promises! read more

Intrinsic Trading have such a huge variety of precious crystals at a very reasonable price!!!

This is not a bead store...note...this is not a bead store...even though it really is a bead store. This place is for the serious beader. There are no individual beads in little jars to purchase for a specific purpose. There are strands and strands and strands of beads...ranging from cheap Chinese crystal/glass to hundreds of dollars for gemstones and pearls. This store has the most exquisite selection of pearls I've ever seen in one bead store...this really is a warehouse...not a bead store. Like I said, this store is for the serious beader...don't expect to come out of this place spending a little bit of money - this is some serious stuff...not for the timid...although if you want cheap Chinese crystal and some cheap magnesite strands...this is your place, too. Get me out of here...it's dangerous! :) read more

Intrinsic Trading - Awesome bead store in Round Rock - Art Supplies Near Me - Cedar Park, Texas

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Typically I stick with my wholesale gemstone bead suppliers in downtown Miami, but occasionally they might be out of what I need or not have the exact quality that I'm looking for. It's almost impossible for me to buy gemstone beads online, I need to see, feel and thoroughly inspect what I am going to buy. But that all changed when I discovered Intrinsic Trading. They have lots of easy to find, rare & hard to find high-quality gemstones and beads. Everything I've ordered from them has been accurate according to the photos and description. I actually found Intrinsic Trading on Etsy.com, they sell under the name StonesDirect. They have a large inventory, great prices and the quality is superb. The shipping is also very quick. read more

Sometimes the beads are really nice BUT more often than not, NOT LIKE THE PICTURES. I am finding as time goes on how disappointing the colors are once the beads arrive. Also, I find this seller sources some beads from another seller that is infamous for selling very poor quality (wrong sized, crooked, badly discolored, chipped/broken) beads. read more

I bought two strands of blue tigers eye beads. About halfway through making a bracelet, I noticed my finger turned blue. I removed all the beads & the stretchy string turned blue as well. Disappointing! read more

I just received my order! It's beautiful and the shipping was so fast!

Today I finally visited this bead store. It was an hour and a half round trip for me since I don't live in Cedar Park. I wasn't greeted when I walked into the store. I got my little basket and started selecting beads. I thought it was weird that there was no pen and paper for customers to write down the description and price of the beads that they were going to purchase. Being that I was a frequent shopper of beads at many bead stores in Florida in my youth, they always had these handy cards and pencils for customers to make it easy for the cashier when they checked out. I walked around for a good ten minutes selecting beads and trying to remember the price of them because without writing them down I knew there would possibly be a problem at checkout. I passed by three employees that never acknowledged me. I listen to the cashier ask a customer several times how much certain beads in her basket were priced and then I thought yep, that is sure to be my checkout future as well. Wanting to not be further annoyed, I decided to put all of the beads in my basket back on the shelves in their proper place. I didn't allow myself to give money to a business that doesn't even value it's customers. I headed for the door and yep, not even a goodbye or have a nice day was given to me by any of the employees. Very disappointing experience, especially since I had wanted to visit your store for quite a while. read more

I make gemstone bracelets as my side hobby and the Intrinsic beads are beautiful with excellent quality. I will continue buying from them.

Intrinsic trading has done it again! There are a lot of beads to choose from and plenty of great deals on merchandise! The employees working are nice and provide great customer service. I was looking for an item in particular and i was pleased with the help I received, they went above and beyond to assist me, it was nice. There are always new items on sale and if they are marked 'showroom special ' then they are marked down and are a great deal! It's always fun coming here to check out what's new!! Whether you're coming in just to look or with a project in mind it's always fun! I love coming here and the merchandise changes often so I'll be back soon! read more

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I have made purchases both from their website (intrinsictrading.com) and their etsy shop (Stones Direct). Their inventory is superb and their shipping is lightning speed. Will definitely continue buying from them. read more

Loved the selection at their store in Round Rock and was devastated when they had to close after covid hit. I'm weary about ordering beads online and did with a different vendor and was quite disappointed. Once Intrinsic Trading opened again with its new location I decided to start with placing an online order. They have all their great selection listed with multiple pictures for each item. Got it fast, was exactly what I ordered, and the gemstones (AA Faceted Natural Garnet, Beryl multi-color faceted Aquamarine) were just GORGEOUS. Better than I expected. Overall great spot and I am glad to know that their online shop process works well too. read more

Amazing selection of gemstones and findings. You have to dig but there are treasures to find. Microfaceted Aquamarine is priced well

I had a very unpleasant, disappointing and quite frankly shocking experience after spending over thousand plus dollars with Intrinsic Trading last year. I started a new jewlery business during pandemic. Everything was closed and I discovered IT through Google. I have placed several orders of beads in different sizes, shapes, cuts and beads that I was not familiar with to see what would work for my biz. I kept many that made sense for my designs (more high end and good quality gems). Some garnets had cracks, others had uneven holes which I discovered after I cut the strands and ended up not using a lot of them...but it was OK while it was a learning the process. i didn't mind at first but with other orders I was careful inspecting,...I returned several cheap beads, and oversized ones and realized it was not right direction for my business. I thought I was very courteous by communicating and calling the customer service, letting them know I would return some strands or exchange etc. We had a hiccup with shipping once as I didn't get the beads in time for a client who came over for an appointment. So I ended up driving downtown LA to pick other beads and retuned most of that order to IT when I received it. Shortly after that, I received an email from IT staring "due to your frequent returns they are no longer going to do business with me and I they will not ship to me anymore". I was literally shocked! During pandemic with everything going on in the world intrinsic trading refused to due business, and DID NOT give me heads up or warning, even when I called...their website simply says if you are not satisfied you can return it....I was telling one lady who answered my call in the beginning that I was starting a new business and to be patient as once I know the process and gems it will get easier. After the email, I wanted to speak with the owner and the ladies were rude, short and told me the owner refused to speak to me, everything is noted in my file, due to frequent returns, and some discount I am getting etc. don't these people know "market and product research" for a business? Even though I tried to explain her my story, she was not interested putting me in contact with the owner. Instead she mentioned something about me getting 20% discount on my $600 charge and since I returned $200 they should have recalculated the discount. I told her that I didn't care about the discount of 5% and do whatever. When I was buying I was buying stones not worrying about % in money I was saving. I did place two orders on the same day and instead of canceling one and combining both, they gave me a discount code. Anyway, as this was not enough. A couple of weeks later after searching for gems on ETSY, I placed an order for $200 with STONE DIRECT. Next day My order was canceled. I wrote a message to the vendor and never got a response either. Then I read the reviews and found out Stone Direct and Intrinsic Trading are the same company. I spent over thousand plus $ dollars in a couple of months and didn't get a response? Intrinsic Trading and Stone Direct showed lock of respect and poor customer service. Your stones may have quality but you have zero character or understanding. IT should be embarrassed for mistreating their paying ,repeat customers poorly and CANCELING them out! read more

Very happy with my online order, will be placing new one soon! Thanks guys for providing beautiful beads at a more affordable price point for us! read more

I did speak to the owner of Intrinsic Trading, for 25 minutes. He was wonderful. When our conversation was finished, I felt that I'd found another member of my "Son's from Other Mothers" Club. He was kind, he listened, he talked, WE talked. I appreciate his viewpoint very much, and look forward to future communication with him. I really did not think this was possible, so to say that I am pleased is an understatement. Very grateful. read more

Last time I was there I was told you need to have a business account with them, you need to show a biz ID number. Great place... too bad their customer service leaves a lot to be desired. read more

I was the only customer in the store, but neither of the two people working there made any effort to help me rather than stopping what they were doing, sorting beads. I had some specific things I was looking for in the findings and chains to finish a project. Neither of them would walk across the store to where those items were to help me find them. Instead, the lady would tell me to "walk that way, keep going...a little further...now look to the left." Really? You can't just put your little bags down and walk over here to show me? read more

Amazing product, exactly as described and excellent quality. I purchased faceted Peruvian pink opal beads for this project and could not be happier. I will be ordering more for my jewelry designs. read more

A dream come true for any beader. I spent a whole afternoon shopping and looking and getting to know the saleswoman who was very helpful with a great knowledge base of the prices and the gems. I tried to keep my bead obsession under control but that was really hard with all those beads right in front of my nose. Now I have been there I can't wait to go back again. Forget subscription bead boxes this is the place they go to make those boxes. Shop at the source. Almost at my front door. lol read more

If you are a jeweler or thinking about becoming one this is definitely the place to go. They have everything from lower and plastic beads for as low as a dollar for 10 to 20 of them or is high end or even higher than really nice pearls. The owners are nice and reasonable and they make a lot of their own beads themselves and it's just insane how many they have. If you can't find a color or a charm that you are looking for go to this place they will have everything you could possibly need. My daughter and I went in there last weekend and I wish I could've bought the whole store out. read more

This place is dangerous for the beading junkie. Tables upon tables of beads, ranging from acrylic to semi precious and precious gems. Oh, be still my beating heart! Don't come in here unless you have: A. willpower B. a very set budget and C. time. It takes a while to paw through the giant tables piled high with baggies of random beads, and then even longer to pare down your haul to stay within budget! :P The owners(?) have never offered to help me find anything the dozen or so times I've been there, and it does take a bit of time to get their attention to check out, otherwise I'd give this a 5/5. read more

This is bead nirvana. The selection is amazing. Plan to spend a wonderful hour at least. The people are very helpful and a pleasure to talk beads with. If you like beads, this place is a must go. read more

Crystal strands for $1? C'mon, you can dig in a pile for a deal like that. And if you need multiple strands, they are easy to find. It's not a mismatched pile of cast-offs. These run $8 at the craft store! I love this place. Put some tunes on your earbuds and browse till your heart is content. They have a GIANT collection of natural stone EVERYTHING. Some really unique things. They also have BIG bags of silver colored and gold colored clasps, beads, charms for $4/bag! I'm telling you, it's worth the dig. You'll find inspiration! Go! Check it out! read more

I really like this bead shop. It has several tables just piled high with beads. You can find something in every price range. I keep going back. My only suggestion is for this place to organize their "baggy" table. I think they'd sell more if their items on the bagged table had some sort of order. read more

Just.Say.No..... To be fair, this review is based on jade earring pairs I ordered from them online, site unseen (you get sent whatever they send, not a specific pair you've approved). I've bought other stones from Intrinsic and liked them. I am a jeweler, so quality of the stones is of utmost importance for me and my clients. I was excited about the availability of jade earrings from Intrinsic. Sadly though, the pair I was sent is not pretty at all.... They do not look like the nice ones pictured on their website IN ANY WAY.... I mean no similarity at all....They have a very muddled, lackluster appearance and were honestly a waste of money. None of my clients interested in jade would even bother with this item I was sent... I'm extremely disappointed by the lack of quality. -Also BEWARE, if you buy and cannot send items back within 2 weeks (I got these and then had to travel for some time), they will not even do an exchange or credit for you. It doesn't matter if the item is in perfect condition and unused... Customer satisfaction is not a priority, so do buy at your own risk with Intrinsic. As a professional in the jewelry industry, I've never had this issue with a supplier (and I've been buying from serious suppliers for over 20 years). In the industry, relationships are EVERYTHING. There are suppliers I've bought from quite literally for decades, and never this problem with exchanging something that isn't of good quality, and has been unused.... I'll be looking to my long-time reliable suppliers for great quality jade, and for customer service done in a professional way that promotes life long relationships. I'll be dealing with my top notch suppliers only. Intrinsic really has awful, highly unprofessional customer service that is little to none. Though I'd hoped to add them to my list of reliable suppliers (because having multiple suppliers is always a good thing to provide variety of materials), that is not happening. Now I know -if you're a professional, do not deal with them. read more

This is a one stop shop for beads. As one reviewer said, "it is a warehouse." They have all grades (quality) of beads as well as different cuts of beads. It is truly the best selection of beads in Austin area. The owners are very polite. They are not gemologist so don't expect them to tell what type of stone something is if it is not tagged. You can get some great buys there too on the dealer special tables. You do not need to have a business tax id to shop there. They may ask you for one so they know how much tax to charge. All I can say is that I am so glad they are there for me to go to. Love it Love it Love it. read more

Not true, I go there often and have never been asked for a proof of business account etc, anyone can buy here, They always ask if you have a tax ID when you check out, that is a sales tax normal deal. The very nice Chinese ladies have always been helpful when we need help. Go there and spend lots of money, or little money, all price ranges are available. Great place. read more

I Love, LOVE, LOVE this store. I make necklaces and this is the best place to buy beads. It is even a fun store to just go look at precious stone beads. I took a friend who had no interest in beading, but by the time we left, she purchased about $70.00 of beads to make herself a unique, one of a kind necklace. I took a ten year old girl, and she loved the fossils and pendant stones. Even my husband was impressed by the huge volume of choice... LOVE this store.. read more

As a "serious" jewelry designer, I prefer to browse uninterrupted. I know what I am looking for and what price is fair market value. I have been a loyal customer of Intrinsic Trading for many years and the staff has been very knowledgeable, friendly and professional. The pricing is far below any other source that I have found within a 100 mile radius. Within the store, there are bargain beads, crystals, finished jewelry. Something for everyone. Intrinsic is my first choice for quality gemstone beads, reasonably priced findings, wire, and quality pendants. In my opinion, the very best source for beading supplies, so, if you are a professional jewelry designer, or a novice at beading, or just looking for craft beads to entertain the children, this is the place. read more

great selection of glass and stones. pricing is a bit unusual as they have so much product, and nothing is really marked well.