Autumn Beads, Opal For October & Bead Fair Reports
27th September 2025
See us this Sunday at Essex Bead Fair, Marks Tey Village Hall, Colchester CO6 1EJ – 10am to 3:30pm. Then Sun 5th October we’re at the Cambridge Bead Fair – 11am to 4pm. All Free Entry & Refreshments!
MrBead Shop: https://mrbeadshop.com. For all shows this year, click Bead Fairs 2025
Content:
Latest Bead Fairs
Autumn Beads
Bead Fair Reports
Beads Up North Prize Winner
Opal For October
Next Bead Fairs
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Can only be used at the NEW shop & not with any other coupon. To get the discount Key EASTANGLIA at checkout now, as offer ends Friday 3rd October 2025. Use at https://mrbeadshop.com.
Latest Bead Fairs
Essex Bead Fair This Sunday
At Marks Tey Village Hall, Colchester CO6 1EJ – Oganised by Totally Beads. Many exhibitors with all types of beads. Free Entry & Refreshments!
Cambridge Bead Fair
The following Sunday, 5th October, we’re at the Cambridge Bead Fair – Harston Village Hall. Just off J11 M11 – CB22 2PX. A popular busy show with the latest semi precious beads by MrBead, seed beads & findings by Southampton Bead Shop, and other traders. Free Entry & Refreshments!
Norwich Bead Fair
The next Sunday, 12th October, we’re at the Norwich Bead Fair – Best Western George Hotel, Arlington Lane, Norwich NR2 2DA. Free Entry & Refreshments. Make a weekend of it staying in the fine City of Norwich & the Norfolk Broads!
Beads for Autumn Jewellery
Autumn bead jewellery is all about warm, earthy tones and textures that reflect the season’s richness. These stones capture the moody tones of autumn:
Autumn Jasper
Popular for its swirling patterns in browns, greens, oranges, and tan shades—perfect mirror of fall foliage.
Click to see our Jasper Beads
Banded Agate
Features earthy stripes in brown tones. Often dyed to enhance autumnal appeal.
Click to see all our Agate Beads
Smoky Quartz
Offers subtle taupe-brown tones with golden highlights—durable, versatile, and sophisticated.
Click to see our Smoky Quartz beads
Citrine
Radiant and bright, this golden-yellow gem brings warmth and sparkle—great for statement pieces.
Click to see our Citrine Beads
Fire Agate
Flaming oranges and reds bring vibrant flair and are trending for Autumn 2025 design. Best used in protected settings due to moderate hardness.
Click to see our Fire Agate Beads
Peridot
Olive-green sparkle with a golden touch—soft yet eye-catching, ideal for autumn palettes.
Click to see our Peridot Beads
Green Quartz
Green Quartz: Lighter, fresh luminous green—balances neutrals beautifully.
Click to see our Quartz Beads
Tourmaline
Tourmaline: Rich reddish-browns and earthy greens for energy and depth.
Click to see our Tourmaline Beads
Amethyst – Mulberry Hue
Amethyst: Regal purple adds drama and pairs well with sparkling accents.
Click to see our Amethyst Beads
Amber
Fossil resin with golden warmth and organic inclusions—iconic and timeless fall gem.
Click to see our Amber Beads
Bead Fair Report
New Forest Bead Fair
As usual this was a busy show, despite the rain. Everyone loves it in the New Forest
Beads Up North
Football was slightly higher than the spring show, the workshop went well, and everyone had a great time. This show is a lot of fun with workshops and full refreshments. We’ll be back on Sunday 19th April & September 2026: Beads Up North.
Click Beads Up North Sept 2025 To See a Short Video (reel) Of The Show
Prize Draw
The price draw was won by Ellen Perkins of Ealand. Ellen will receive a gift from each participating exhibitor. Everyone who buys a ticket to Beads Up North has a chance to win the prize draw.
OPAL FOR OCTOBER
What Is Opal?
All of natures fury can be seen in fine opal. Like a Rembrandt: fire, lightning, all the colours of the rainbow and the shine of far seas.Australia supplies about 95% of the worlds opal from the outback. Aborigines believe their creator came down to Earth on a rainbow, bringing the message of peace.
The name Opal came from many places. In Greek Opallios translates as colour change, and to the ancient Romans Opalus was a stone from several elements. Pliny, a Roman author, wrote opal combines the sparkle of Almandine, the shining purple of Amethyst, the golden yellow of Topaz, and the deep blue of Sapphire.
Types of Opal
Fine opals shine and sparkle in a continually changing play of colours called Opalising. Depending on the location they have names like Harlequin, Peacock, and Fire Opal. Most opal has this play of colours except Common Opal, a name give to all others, like Pink Opal.
As demand outstrips supply, fine opalizing opal is very expensive – sometimes costing hundreds of pounds each bead. Therefore, the most popular for jewellery is non-opalizing opal – usually pink opal from Peru.
Opals play of colour is caused by small spheres of silica creating interference and refraction. The spheres, which are arranged in compact structures, dissect light through the gemstone, turning it into the rainbow effect, always new and different.
Peruvian Opal
Peruvian Opal comes in faint pink, light blue and light mint-green tones. From the Andes Mountains near San Patricio, Peru.
Although native South Americans have been using the stone for thousands of years, it only became widely available recently. It’s usually translucent to opaque with no play of colour and often has lots of black and tan dendrites.
Most Peruvian Opal beads are semi-opaque to opaque. Peruvian opals metaphysical properties are similar to other opals. Helping to intensify your traits and characteristics. Peruvian Opal can activate the heart charka and assist during spiritual journeys.
How to Value Opal
Price of fine opal depends on its play of colour, the colours, their pattern and location. If red appears when looking through the stone, so will all the other colours.
Black Opal has the most play of colour. Especially from Lightning Ridge or Mexican Fire Opal. Crystal opal is the next best, being more transparent with a deep play of colour. White or milky opals with diffuse colour and are the cheapest.
To bring out the play of colour in a fine opal, the stones are cut and polished to round or oval cabochons. Only the best qualities of Fire Opal is faceted.
How does Opal Effect You?
Opal is thought to remove depression and to help find true love.
Looking after Opal
Due to containing 5% water, opals easily become brittle. If stored too dry, the play of colour will fade. Therefore, Opal jewellery should be worn as often as possible, giving gemstone the humidity from the air and skin of its wearer.
See our Peruvian Opal Nugget Beads: Opal Beads
Enjoy a Bead Fair Soon!
Bead shows are great fun. You’ll love them! Bring a trolley, as beads get heavy. Take some cash, as a few venues have a weak signal for card payments. Talk to the vendors and other visitors to inspire new design ideas. Make a note of what you paid for beads, and keep exhibitors’ business cards and leaflets.
Autumn Bead Fairs Of 2025
Sunday 28th September: Essex Bead Fair, Marks Tey Village Hall, Old London Road, Marks Tey CO6 1EJ.
Sun 5th October: Cambridge Bead Fair, Harston Village Hall, Harston CB22 7PX
Sun 12th October: Norwich Bead Fair, The George Best Western Hotel, Arlington Lane, Norwich NR2 2DA
Sat 18th October: London Luton Bead Fair, Stockwood Hotel, Castle Street, Luton LU1 3SS
Sun 19th Oct: Swindon Bead Fair, Purton Village Hall, Station Road, Swindon SN5 4AJ
Sun 26th Oct: East Sussex Bead Fair, Forest Row Village Hall, The Square, Forest Row RH18 5ES
New venues at North Yorkshire, Penrith, Windsor, Swindon and Forest Row. For this years full list, click: 2025 Bead Fairs.
15% Off All From MrBead
Enjoy 15% off anything with no minimum order. Shipping is free too on UK orders over £40. International shipping from £9.50.
Can only be used at the NEW shop & not with any other coupon. To get the discount Key EASTANGLIA at checkout now, as offer ends Friday 3rd October 2025. Use at https://mrbeadshop.com.
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