Czech Twin Beads VS Czech Super Duos

I am no expert on the subject, but I have an opinion 😉 I was given some Czech Super Duos to do a comparison with the Czech Twin Beads. What better pattern to use than Plum Craaazy! The two major differences between these beads is the uniformity and the price. The Twin Beads have to be culled. I did not have to cull any of the Super Duos. The Twin Beads have imperfections. Occasionally one side fatter than the other and sometimes a hair shorter. I am not sure how these are made, but I am guessing they are by hand. I love the colors and their organic nature. the Super Duos would be the ‘Delicas’ of the 2. Perfection and machine pressed, they are exact and precise and from what I have seen, they have a gorgeous color line!

In working with them, I didn’t find a difference really, just that I didn’t have to pull any glaringly obvious flawed ones out of the batch like I had to with the Twins. They worked up the same for me in my Plum Craaazy design. Both pieces came out the same. The same curves, the same puckering in certain spots (until you get to the next row), etc. I am totally pleased with the results from both sides of this and could not recommend one over the other…for my design. I think they will both a certain place in the bead world, but I would recommend both.  The Super Duos would be best used for exact precision pieces. If you are doing a row for example, as in a Super Duo, seed bead, Super Duo, then coming back down the other side with a seed bead to connect a ‘serpent’ type’ piece. Otherwise, I would go either way.

Below is a side-by-side photo of each type.

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So that’s my story..and I am sticking to it LOL