Charm Beads

Charm Beads

When looking for a charm bead, there is a lot to consider. First of all, are you most interested in high quality charm beads using 14k or 18k gold? Sterling silver? Plastic, wood, Murano glass charm beads? Are you seeking a designer piece or simply something that represents you or someone you love? It all matters. There's no end to choice when searching out Denmark beads or charm beads, and you need to have a plan lest you become overwhelmed with choices.

For example, my main hobbies (I have a lot of them, but only a few that interest me most or all of the time) are medieval and Renaissance era history, Walt Disney World, jewelry making, and novel writing. So, my choices would be perhaps a charm bead recreated from a design seen in a medieval painting, or maybe a bead designed to look like a kilt or sporran. Most of my charm bead bracelet would be taken up with Disney beads, probably Chamilia Disney beads since they're the only company to have exclusive rights to Disney charm beads. Granted, I'm not too keen on their designs. I've always preferred unique jewelry, and even though they have Murano glass Disney beads, anything high end tends to not represent my individualistic taste. Plus, I'd probably pick a book bead, or better, an inkwell and feather quill bead if I could find one. I might settle for a typewriter, but I've only ever liked one typewriter in my life and that was my dad's old electric one. Sadly, he sold that years ago. Probably wouldn't work now anyway.

What Are Charm Beads

(also, what are Denmark beads, what are Pandora beads, what are Chamilia beads, or what are Troll beads)

Charm beads, aka Denmark beads, are simply creative beads that have large enough holes to be easily slid on and off of chains that are made specifically for this purpose. Troll beads were developed in Denmark as a sideline to the creator's silversmithing/jewelry business. The ability for customers to custom design their own jewelry (bracelets and necklaces, initially) and change the jewelry on a whim became very popular. Soon, Pandora beads followed suit and the charm bead popularity spread across Europe and into North America. Chamilia is a relatively new entrant in the world of charm beads, having launched in 2002, but as the exclusive producer of Disney charm beads, they certainly have made their mark.

There are a number of other charm bead designers and manufacturers in various price ranges and styles. The beads themselves are about the size of a pony bead, and can be found in every material and design imaginable.

Sterling silver charms beads are among the most popular. These are a highly desirable metal, denotes quality, and isn't nearly as expensive as the gold bead charms. Camilla charm beads are offered in a range of materials, but the most common in their collection are made of silver.

Bead Phone Charms

Even though it can be difficult to find bead phone charms from these designers, it's fairly easy to make them. All you need is a basic understanding of how to make jewelry, some string or necklace wire and crimp beads, or even some chain and jumprings. Pliers are necessary, of course, if using jumprings to attach the charms. The larger holes on charm beads make them ideal for making your own beaded phone charms- simply take a string that is thin enough to go through the opening on your phone, knot the ends of the string, pinch the string in the middle, so that the strands are doubled- push that through your bead or beads, push the doubled string through the hole in your phone, pull the beaded ends through the loop, and tighten. Voila! Easy peasy.

European Charm Bead Bracelets

If you're looking for authentic European charm bead bracelets, it's best to look to Troll beads and Pandora beads, since they both originated in Denmark and were also the first on the scene. Bead charm braclets are such a fun way to express yourself, and their current popularity mean that it's easier than ever to find all the designs that your heart could desire. In fact, beaded charm bracelets are often sold already put together! While this isn't any fun for someone who wants their jewelry personalized, it's a great way to start off your collection. Much like the power bead bracelets of old (er, 5-10 years ago), many people consider beaded charm braclets to simply be a fashion accessory.

Italian Charm Beads

Italian charm beads, however, are not actually beads. Rather, Italian charms are more of a rectangular box sort of thing, which snaps together end to end forming a straight line, or can be curved around into a bracelet. Italian charms tend to not lay correctly for use as a necklace. There is a large range of Disney Italian charms sold both in the theme parks and in regular retail outlets. At one time, they were mostly available only in gold and silver, but are now available in silvertone and silverplate as well.

Once you know what to look for, you can make the most out of your charm bead jewelry.

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Pandora and Chamilia Beads

Pandora beads and Chamilia beads as well as authentic Troll beads are among the hottest beads and jewelry supplies in the western world right now. Often referred to as Denmark beads due to charm beads originating in Denmark, Troll beads are often touted as having invented charm bracelets and charm jewelry. This is absolutely not true. Charms as fashion jewelry came into vogue in the Victorian era, a movement that was spearheaded by Queen Victoria herself. However, the concept of interchangeable bead charm jewelry does, indeed, seem to have been invented by silversmith Søren Nielsen in 1976 in Denmark. If he was not the inventor, he certainly was the first to popularize the concept.

Troll beads, Pandora beads, and Chamilia beads as well as Lovelinks by Pastiche, Biagi beads, Zable beads, Nagara beads, Pugster Eurobeads, and SimStars are all popular charm bead manufacturing and design companies. Most of their beads are interchangeable with each other, but if you're very picky about your jewelry you may want to stick to Troll, Pandora, and Chamilia together, with Biagi, Zable, SimStars, Nagara, Pugster, and Lovelinks together. While they're all of a good quality, the difference is immediately evident when compared. The first three are all of a superb quality, and the prices reflect that. The rest are varying levels of "good" and seem to be marketed more toward the young and trendy crowd. While most people will not notice the difference, if you pair them up with the "superb" quality beads, the difference will stand out at a glance.

Troll Beads

Troll Bead Bracelet

Each of these companies has a different focus for their charm bead jewellery as well.  Authentic Troll beads, for example, are highly innovative. They take inspiration from nature, mythology, and more. They are the first company to silver core the inside of their glass beads. This serves two purposes- the first is that the inside of a lampwork glass bead tends to be rather ugly. The slip (a kind of watery clay) that is used to keep the molten glass from attaching itself to the mandrel remains attached to the bead when the bead has cooled enough to be removed from the mandrel (rod). This is ugly and gray, and while it can be filed off, the filing leaves ugly marks on the inside of the glass bead. By lining the core of the glass Troll bead with silver or gold, the ugly center is hidden from view, even when unattached to the chain or other beads.  The second purpose of the lining is that the smooth silver lining prevents the rough interior of the bead from scratching the chain or fraying the leather thong.

Troll beads are also the first bead maker of its kind to offer freshwater pearl beads with large holes drilled through the center. Pearls are very fragile, and so it is difficult to drill more than a very small hole without breaking the pearl- even trying to ream a pearl's hole to smooth, even, or enlarge the hole can break it easily, and I have. Per Kanto-Nielsen designed a drill machine that could drill much larger holes into freshwater pearls without breaking or damaging them. This is necessary in order to use pearl beads on a Troll bead necklace and to fit in with other Troll bead charms. It's also an incredible feat of engineering. Hopefully he'll license this machine out to other jewelry parts suppliers so that pearls will be easier to use for other kinds of jewelry.

Pandora Beads

Pandora Charm Necklace

Pandora beads, on the other hand, focus more on tradition and quality for their beads. They tend to use more gold and diamonds than silver and Swarovski crystals. Their sterling silver and semi-precious beads are much more affordable than their gold and precious stone beads, but all can be intermixed with both Troll and Chamilia beads without concern of their being out of place. Religious symbols and abstract designs also seem to appeal to the Pandora bead designers. There are numerous Pandora cross beads and Star of David dangle beads to choose from. There are classic pearl dangle beads, and beads that look as though they were designed in the 60's and 70's. The detail on these beads is exquisite, and they would be a flattering addition to anyone's jewelry collection, no matter their usual style and budget.

Chamilia Beads

 

Chamilia Disney Beads

Chamilia beads are the new kids on the block. Launched in 2002, they are the only charm bead to offer authentic Disney charm beads. The Chamilia Disney beads are beautiful, made of sterling silver or gold, and some feature CZ in the shape of a classic Mickey head. They cost anywhere from $33 for basic silver beads to $429 for a 14kt gold Mickey Mouse head bead. They also offer a few Mickey Mouse Murano glass beads. Ebay Chamilia bead auctions are quite popular, but it's very difficult to wade through all of the beads that merely "fit Chamilia" and "Pandora Chamilia Troll" tagged auctions. The best way to find authentic Chamilia beads and jewelry is to find the name or number of the design you want, and search using that information. It will drastically narrow your search, and you may not find what you want, but neither will you spend hours trawling through listings of fakes.

The concept of charm bead jewelry is an interesting one. These beads are approximately the size of pony beads or crow beads, but are made of Murano glass, handblown glass, lampwork glass beads, gold, silver, precious gems, semi-precious gems, Swarovski crystal, Austrian crystal, pearls, pewter, and even imitation materials. Each brand caters to a different customer. They can be mixed between companies as long as the center hole is of an appropriate size, and can even be combined with wood, seed, and bone beads offered by jewelry supply companies. Traditional charms can be hung between the charm beads, and the beads can even be hung on simple ribbon, leather thongs, and even shoe and bootlaces if you so choose! Their large holes make them quite as interchangeable as the innovative chains, bracelets, and necklaces that have been designed to accommodate them.

The key to designing your own charm bead jewelry is not in making sure that you find the authentic Chamilia beads, or authentic Pandora beads, or authentic Troll beads, or what have you, but in making sure that the beads you buy are worth what you pay, and that you like them. Most important of all, this kind of jewelry is all about you. What you like, what represents you. You may find that fun, cheap beads represent your outgoing and fun loving personality. Maybe your love of all that's traditional combines with your child-like wonder of the world, and the $429 Chamilia Mickey Mouse bead is all you need to create your one of a kind necklace or bracelet. Or maybe you're a nature lover who can create a work of art out of inexpensive wood pony beads and carved bone beads. It's all up to you. This is your jewelry, your life, and what makes you you.

Pandora Beads| Chamilia Beads| Troll Beads