My personal opinion? Look at Kate fowle's pics
http://www.katefowle.com/pages/gallery_new_biotech.php,
Pipyr's pics
http://www.pipyr.com/home.html
or Jenn Geldard's pics
http://www.glassgirl.com/ornate_series_beads.htm
there's just something so clean about the contrast of the bead on an almost negative space. No question where the eye should go, or the quality of the work.
If I could take those pics, I would be one happy camper!