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Not as “Gross” as You Think!

Crystals from the Heart of Europe

Hey there bead addicts! It’s Travis here, I’m the new techie work experience guy and I’ll be helping clear up a few beading myths and helping to make beading fun!

Ever wondered why your favorite crystal brands, like Preciosa and Swarovski, love to pack things in weird numbers? I mean, why 144 in a box? Sounds “gross” right!? No, it’s not because they’re secretly trying to gross you out – it’s all about the art and science of crystal packaging, and I’m here to break it down for you in a way that’s anything but “gross”!

So, first things first, what exactly is a “gross”? Well, it’s not that weird kid in the back of the class sticking chewing gum under the desk – it’s a unit of measurement, and in the beading and crystal world, it means a dozen dozens, or 144 to be exact. Now, I know what you’re thinking – why not just say 144? Why make this extra confusing with a word that sounds like it belongs in the biology room?

Quick note here, that’s a dozen regular dozens, not a dozen bakers dozens, or a dozen beaders dozens. That’d be just stupid! Not to mention confusing!

Let’s make this whole thing crystal clear (pun intended)! Packaging crystals by the gross isn’t about confusing you, it’s about making the lives of the crystal gods and the end customers a whole lot easier. Think of it as the crystal community’s way of saying, “Let’s keep it simple, stupid!”

Dividing by 12 is a piece of cake or should I say, crystal? (Sorry, couldn’t resist!) There’s a reason we have dozens in many aspects of our lives. It’s easy to count, easy to divide, and it just makes sense. I mean, could you imagine a carton of 11 eggs, or 5 for that matter. It just wouldn’t work.

When you buy crystals in bulk, especially when you’re planning some serious bling for your DIY projects, having them neatly packaged in dozens and gross makes the process a breeze.

Now, here comes the magic of multiplication. If you’ve ever wondered why crystal brands seem to be obsessed with packing small flat back diamantes and bicones in packs of 1440 (which is a gross times 10), it’s because it’s a game-changer! When you’re working on large-scale projects, having crystals in this magical “mass” of 1440 means you can easily calculate how many dozens you need without breaking a sweat.

Imagine this: you’re bedazzling a dance costume, and you need 10 dozen crystals. Instead of tediously counting each crystal, you can just grab a pack, knowing that it contains 1440 sparkly diamantes, and voilà, you have your 10 dozen without the headache. It’s like crystal maths for dummies!

So, the next time you come across crystal packaging boasting a gross or 1440, embrace it! It’s not meant to be “gross” or confusing – it’s a crystal-clear system that simplifies your DIY adventures and keeps the sparkle in your projects. Best part is, they divide evenly down into dozens, sixes and 3’s. Bonus, they’re also even so pairs are a given!

Remember, crystals are all about bringing joy and beauty into your life, not making it grossly confusing. So, here’s to the “not as gross as you think” world of little crystals. Those Czech and Austrian crystal lords are smarter than they may seem!

Quick recap before you go:

  • Dozen = 12
  • Gross = 144 (12 dozen)
  • Mass = 1440 (10 gross, or 120 dozen)
  • All these numbers are even, and they all divide by 3, the beaders magic number!

Get your Bead-Fix and Chill!
Travis out

Travis
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