These beads arrived missing 2 beads... ie 26 instead of 27 in the main 2 sections... they were chipped, split and course... they are also very wonderful... I brought these to a weekend retreat and by the end of it they were warm, oiled, smooth and they felt like really old friends. They have become some of my favorite and I believe with time will only get better. These beads... for me... are just like me, a work in progress and I am happy for all the "flaws" ... they are what make these so wonderful to grow with. As far as the missing beads... there are so many spacer beads it all works out... plus the agate dzi spacers are very powerful. this is my review, they may not be right for everyone... but I like them enough to write this review in hope of giving people a heads up. cheers