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