SS (Stone Size)

SS (Stone Size) is the sizing chart the rhinestone trade uses to specify crystal diameter, running from tiny SS6 stones at roughly 1.9mm across up through SS10 (2.7mm), SS16 (3.8-4.0mm), SS20 (4.6-4.8mm), and SS30 (6.3-6.5mm), with the number staying fixed to that millimeter measurement no matter which supplier cuts the stone. Rhinestone design software reads the SS number to calculate how many stones of that diameter fit inside a given imprint area, since the same 4-inch logo can call for 380 SS10 stones or under 150 SS20 stones.

For a buyer pricing bling apparel, SS size is the lever that moves the quote. We've run the same cheer-squad mascot at SS10, SS16, and SS20 to show why her per-piece price barely changed between versions — the smaller stones cost less each but needed nearly three times as many to fill the same 6x8 inch back panel. A parent ordering hotfix jersey numbers usually wants SS16 or SS20, big enough to read from the bleachers.

Pros pick SS size by viewing distance and detail, not preference: fine text stays in the SS6-SS10 range so stones don't overlap, bold letters and mascots move to SS16-SS20, and statement logos go SS30 and up. Mixing two or three SS sizes in one template — small stones for detail, large ones for fill — adds depth to what would otherwise be a flat design.

The mistake we hear most: buyers assume a bigger SS number means a better stone. SS only measures diameter — it says nothing about facet cut, foil quality, or how well the glue holds through a wash cycle. A cheap, poorly faceted SS30 looks duller and sheds sooner than a well-cut SS10, and off-brand stones can run ±0.1mm outside the chart, throwing off spacing calculated for true SS dimensions.