Loch Ness · OVĚŘENO NEBO JEN VIBE? · Size guide
Most bead size guides stop at 12 mm. Our carved wood bracelets go up to 20 mm. We ran the numbers for beads that big, and three things change: how many beads go around your wrist, how precisely a bracelet can be sized, and how much it weighs.
Everything below is geometry and published wood data, not opinion. Where a figure is our own calculation rather than a measurement, we say so. For what the carvings mean, see our guide to carved wood bead bracelets.
The claim: “12 mm is the maximum”
Several men’s guides present 10–12 mm as the top of the range and 12 mm as the maximum, for large wrists and a deliberately bold look (Caligio; Mr Woodini). Others go further and list 14–16 mm beads for men’s bracelets (Dearbeads).
So 12 mm is where most guides stop, not a limit. Nothing prevents a larger bead. What changes is the fit, the sizing steps and the weight — which is what the rest of this page checks.
Verdict: 🟡 Partial — true as a description of what’s common, not true as a rule.
Why bead size changes the fit
A bead bracelet has two different lengths. The first runs through the centre of each bead: the length you get laid flat. The second is the inside circle, the part that actually touches your wrist. The bigger the beads, the bigger the gap between the two.
The rule is simple: the inside circle is shorter than the laid-flat length by about 3.14 × the bead diameter. With 6 mm beads, that is 1.9 cm. With 20 mm beads, it is 6.3 cm.
| Bead size | Inside circle shorter than laid-flat length by |
|---|---|
| 6 mm | 1.9 cm |
| 8 mm | 2.5 cm |
| 12 mm | 3.8 cm |
| 15 mm | 4.7 cm |
| 18 mm | 5.7 cm |
| 20 mm | 6.3 cm |
So before you order, check which of the two a size refers to. A 20 mm bracelet sold as “19 cm” fits very differently depending on the answer.
Our own wrist size guide, checked
Náš průvodce velikostí zápěstí says to add 1 to 1.5 cm to your wrist for a close fit, 1.5 to 2 cm for a standard fit, and 2 to 3 cm for a loose one. That works when the bracelet size means the inside circle. It fails with large beads if the size means the laid-flat length: add 2 cm to a 17 cm wrist, string 20 mm beads to 19 cm through their centres, and the inside circle is about 12.7 cm. It won’t go on.
The guide doesn’t say which length it means, and it doesn’t mention bead size. We’re updating it to say both.
Verdict: 🟡 Partial — right for the inside circle, wrong for large beads measured laid flat. Correction in progress.
How many beads go around your wrist
Our calculation, for a standard fit: the inside circle equals your wrist plus 1.5 cm. Each cell gives the number of beads, then the inside circle you actually get.
| Wrist | 12 mm | 15 mm | 18 mm | 20 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 cm | 17 beads (16.7 cm) | 15 beads (18.0 cm) | 13 beads (18.0 cm) | 12 beads (18.0 cm) |
| 16 cm | 18 beads (17.9 cm) | 15 beads (18.0 cm) | 13 beads (18.0 cm) | 12 beads (18.0 cm) |
| 17 cm | 19 beads (19.1 cm) | 16 beads (19.4 cm) | 14 beads (19.8 cm) | 13 beads (20.0 cm) |
| 18 cm | 20 beads (20.3 cm) | 17 beads (20.9 cm) | 14 beads (19.8 cm) | 13 beads (20.0 cm) |
| 19 cm | 21 beads (21.5 cm) | 17 beads (20.9 cm) | 15 beads (21.5 cm) | 14 beads (22.0 cm) |
| 20 cm | 21 beads (21.5 cm) | 18 beads (22.4 cm) | 15 beads (21.5 cm) | 14 beads (22.0 cm) |
Assumptions: round beads touching each other, and a round wrist. Real wrists are oval and elastic cord leaves small gaps, so treat these as starting points, not exact counts.
One bead is one big step
Adding a bead adds roughly one bead diameter to the inside circle: about 1.2 cm with 12 mm beads, 2 cm with 20 mm beads. Our guide’s fit ranges are 0.5 to 1 cm wide — narrower than a single 20 mm bead.
That is why, in the table, a 15 cm and a 16 cm wrist get the same 20 mm bracelet. With big beads you often choose between snug and loose, with nothing in between. Our suggestion, not a measured rule: heavy beads swing more when loose, so if you are between two counts, try the smaller one first.
How heavy is a 20 mm ebony bracelet?
African ebony (Diospyros crassiflora) weighs 900 to 1,010 kg per m³ at 12% moisture (PROTA), about 955 kg/m³ on average (Advantage Lumber, Wood Database figures). From there, the weight of a solid round bead is a matter of volume.
| Bead size | One bead | Beads for a 17 cm wrist | Whole bracelet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 mm | 0.8–0.9 g | 19 | 15–17 g |
| 15 mm | 1.6–1.8 g | 16 | 25–29 g |
| 18 mm | 2.7–3.1 g | 14 | 38–43 g |
| 20 mm | 3.8–4.2 g | 13 | 49–55 g |
These are calculations, not weighings. Carving removes wood, the drill hole removes a little more, and we have not yet confirmed which ebony species our beads are cut from. A 20 mm ebony bracelet is still roughly three times heavier than a 12 mm one.
Three more things that grow with the bead
- Height off the skin: a 20 mm bracelet stands 2 cm off your wrist all the way around, so it adds 4 cm to the overall diameter. It won’t slide under a fitted shirt cuff.
- Room for carving: a 20 mm bead has 2.8 times the surface of a 12 mm bead, and a 15 mm bead 1.6 times. That is why the most detailed carvings in our collection sit on the largest beads.
- Load on the elastic: heavier beads put more tension on the cord, and cord quality matters as much as bead size (Mr Woodini). Roll the bracelet on and off rather than pulling it.
Our bracelets by bead size
Still open
Two things we’ll publish as soon as they’re done: the real weight of each bracelet, measured on a kitchen scale, and which of the two lengths each size on our listings refers to. When they’re in, the tables above get a dated update.
Často kladené otázky
Are 20 mm beads too big for a small wrist?
Not physically: on a 15 cm wrist, about 12 beads of 20 mm go around. The look is very chunky, and sizing is coarse — one bead more or less changes the fit by 2 cm.
How do I measure my wrist?
Wrap a soft tape or a string just past the wrist bone, snug but with one finger of room, and round up to the nearest half centimetre. Full steps in our průvodce velikostí zápěstí.
Is the bracelet size the inside circle or the length laid flat?
It depends on the seller, and with 20 mm beads the two differ by about 6.3 cm. Always ask, or check the listing.
Can ebony irritate the skin?
Ebony of the Diospyros genus has been reported as a sensitizer. Severe reactions are uncommon; the usual ones are eye, skin and respiratory irritation (Advantage Lumber). If your skin reacts, stop wearing it.
Do big beads wear out the elastic faster?
Heavier beads put more tension on the cord (Mr Woodini). Rolling the bracelet on rather than stretching it over your hand helps it last.
Zdroje
- Caligio — Bead size guide for men
- Mr Woodini — Bracelet bead size guide
- Dearbeads — Bead sizes for jewelry making
- PROTA via Pl@ntNet — Diospyros crassiflora
- Advantage Lumber — Gaboon ebony specifications
- Loch Ness — Wrist size guide
Update log
[À COMPLÉTER : date] — First publication. Weights are calculated, not yet measured; wrist size guide correction in progress.