Captive Bead Rings

Jewelry is very beautiful because it is an expression pf people’s creativity and their personality. Many art majors in college have taken a jewelry making course. I am a big art fan and I love art history and going to museums. In addition, I have taken a ceramics course but a have never made jewelry for myself or for someone else. I have many pairs of earrings, rings, bracelets, and necklaces in my jewelry box but I don’t have a captive bead ring in my jewelry box. That is probably because I don’t know what a captive bead ring is.Many people like to express themselves in a variety of ways such as writing a poem, writing a book, painting a picture, designing a sculpture out or play-doh or clay, or making a beautiful piece of jewelry. The easiest way to express yourself is by wearing a piece or pieces of jewelry. I happen to like to wear rings and earrings. I like to wear Southwestern jewelry or Black Hills Gold jewelry. I have worn much jewelry since I was a young girl and until recently I have never heard of a captive bead ring. I know now that a captive bead ring is used with body piercing jewelry. My cousin pierced her navel so it is possible that a captive bead ring was used when her belly button was pierced. I thought that artists and people who liked the Goth lifestyle engaged in body piercing. I stand before you humbly corrected. Also, before I did a bit of research, I thought a captive bead was a part of the prison system vocabulary. Please let me tell you exactly what a captive bead ring is and what it is used for.

A captive bead ring, abbreviated CBR, is also called a ball closure ring or a little less frequently a captive ball ring is a common example of body piercing jewelry. The captive bead or ball fits into a small opening in the circle of the ring. The bead is slightly larger than this opening and has small indentations or depressions that correspond to the ring’s end-points so that it may snugly fit against them, therefore completing the circuit of the ring. Often a hole is drilled through the bead to allow easier fitting.

It uses the natural tensile or comprehensive strength of the metal that the captive bead ring is made of, usually stainless steel, niobium, or titanium to hold the bead tightly into place. The bead or ball itself may additionally be made out of colorful glass, ceramics, or some semi precious or precious stone. This seems to show that a captive bead ring is also aesthetically pleasing to the wearer of the jewelry. In addition it seems like a captive bead ring can be an emerald, lapis, sapphire, or a pearl.

This is a popular piece of jewelry because it conveniently allows the wearer to remove the ring, by simply removing the captive bead, yet the bead is held so firmly in place that it will not easily fall out. Therefore a captive bead ring can become a changing captive bead ring. Yeah! In addition, because of their close shape and their rounded edges, these rings don’t easily snag on clothing, hair, or furniture, making them a popular choice for body piercing that is still healing.