Hi Just Freddy,
I have been collecting beads all of my adult life, I have collected all types of beads, I've made tons of mistakes and I've been real lucky as well. Hindsight is always 20/20, if we would have known then, what we know now......
My main guiding force in collecting beads, first and foremost in importance, has always been, Do I find the bead attractive??? I am like the Crow, if it's visually appealing it gets my attention. Once the bead has my attention then the experience factors come into play, where is it from, can I afford it, will it hold value, is it rare, is it real, is it legal.....all of these plus many more prerequisites must be considered before I buy a bead, not necessarily in any order as long as I examine all the factors. Having done this for so many years, much of this happens subconsciously in a matter of seconds and I can make a "snap" decision as I am holding the bead in my hand for the first time. The beads I crave are the ones that fit all my categories and still stump me, I think I like rarities a lot! Happy hunting, Thomas