Wood Bead Bracelets (Shouchuan): Sizes, Woods and How to Care for Them

In Chinese a bracelet of beads worn on the wrist is a shouchuan (手串), literally "hand string". It is part jewellery, part something to hold: people turn the beads in their fingers while they think, wait or drink tea. Ours are made of wood, so they are light, warm to the touch and each bead has its own grain.

Choosing a bead size

Size changes both the look and the feel, and it is the first decision to make.

• Small, about 5 to 6 mm. Slim and quiet, closer to an ordinary bracelet. It goes with any outfit and does not get in the way of a sleeve or a watch.
• Medium, about 10 to 12 mm. The classic proportion: clearly wood, still comfortable for everyday wear.
• Large, about 20 to 25 mm. A statement piece. Heavier, more visible, and the size at which carving becomes possible.

If you are not sure, measure your wrist with a strip of paper and compare it with the bracelet's listed size, because the number of beads and their diameter set the total length. Beads are strung on elastic, so a slightly snug fit is normal.

Carved beads: zodiac and arhats

The large beads can carry detailed carving. We carry two kinds:

• Zodiac bracelets, where each bead is carved with one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. A sandalwood zodiac bracelet is a natural gift for someone, and the animals are easy to match to a birth year.
• Arhat bracelets, where each bead shows a different face of an arhat, a figure from Buddhist tradition. The carved arhat-head bracelet uses nine large beads separated by small black spacers, and the faces are all different.

Because the carving is done by hand, no two bracelets are identical. Shade and detail vary a little from the photo, and that is part of the point.

Plain wood and colour

Plain beads show the wood itself. Some are smooth and reddish, some striped, some pale and golden, and each bead has a different grain. If you like a slim, quiet look, the red-brown wood bead bracelet is the easy start.

Caring for wood

Wood is simple to look after if you remember three things.

1. Keep it dry. Take the bracelet off before a shower, swimming or washing up. Long contact with water can dull the finish and loosen the string. 2. Avoid heat. Do not leave it on a radiator or in a hot car. 3. Wipe, do not scrub. A dry soft cloth is enough. Wearing it also keeps the surface polished by your skin over time.

Store it flat or hanging, not squeezed under heavy things, and keep the elastic from stretching by sliding it on rather than pulling it wide.

You can see the whole range in tea accessories.