I've been buying these beads for year (these and other coated beads), not realizing their finish was problematic until coatings started to peel, fade, chip, etc. I remember the first customer who returned a necklace because the beautiful rusty coating on a glass bead necklace peeled off to reveal a plain white glass druk. Had to restring the entire necklace. A waste of my time, and an embarrassing little "ding" to my integrity. :^(

I am so frustrated. We have beads that have stood the test of time for hundreds and thousands of years, and then we have these "modern" disappointments.

I've taken as many as I can find out of my production. I use them for "filler" beads, to add into large-hole beads to stabilize them in designs. I don't trust them for anything else.