My Poor Mountain Crystal...

Kensington wrote:
Oh my that is so disheartening ... the crackly ones are the most beautiful too

They sure are! But I hafta say, that when I looked at them I wondered how they could control the fracturing. That's part of why I didn't order one.

Soooooo sorry for the frustration and disappointment!

Dang...and I wanted these baddddddd!!!!!

Oh no, I wish that this was the first I had heard of it but unfortunately it is not I hope you get it replaced.

One I had on my necklace shattered as well - it really is a shame because they are gorgeous beads. The dealer who sold it to me is going to replace it. I think this time I'll just hang it in a window or something - I don't have the nerve to wear it.

This is also the 2nd one I've heard of crumbling. I know that when I ordered mine from Christian at Beads4U, he was clear in stating that the more clear/crackly ones are MUCH less stable. I still ordered 2 of them as well as 2 of the more opaque/white ones -- but am now afraid to wear any of them!! :-( I hope you are able to get yours replaced!!!

Yikes!

I just finally heard back from Trollbeads. They want me to send them the remnants from the broken one and they'll send me a new one. Despite the issue with it, I'm very glad that they are replacing it for me.

What a terrible thing to happen, I'm pleased to hear that that they are replacing it for you!

I am glad that TB will replace the bead!!

I heard that Chrystals very often are mined using explosives and then they are divided/cut into rather small pieces, polished, a hole is being drilled into them, they are probably thrown more than once before they become jewellery or healing stones - I think they have to endure a lot of stress until they finally are being worn on a bracelet, a necklace or placed in a nice spot. Thus, I am always amazed at the healing qualities they still carry. I do love mine and cherish them

I'm glad that you are getting your bead replaced but it will be a bit nerve-wracking wearing the new one!!! They are gorgeous though and I hope you won't have the same problem again

I'm glad that you are getting your bead replaced but it will be a bit nerve-wracking wearing the new one!!! They are gorgeous though and I hope you won't have the same problem again

It's only fair that TB are replacing your bead, I'm glad for you. It still leaves an uneasy feeling about the mountain crystals in general. I haven't got one so far but was planning to buy two for a winter/icy bracelet. After reading all these posts about beads that have cracked I think though I have to change to some other white bead instead.

Trollperle wrote:I am glad that TB will replace the bead!!

I heard that Chrystals very often are mined using explosives and then they are divided/cut into rather small pieces, polished, a hole is being drilled into them, they are probably thrown more than once before they become jewellery or healing stones - I think they have to endure a lot of stress until they finally are being worn on a bracelet, a necklace or placed in a nice spot. Thus, I am always amazed at the healing qualities they still carry. I do love mine and cherish them

I am really quite amazed at the kind of punishment that all of the glass and stone beads take, actually. I don't know about everyone else but I just leave my bracelet on all the time. I sleep in it, and cook in it and go through the activities of my day in it and the beads knock around together. When I travelled recently, I just took a bunch of beads with me loose in a small cinched bag. Probably a good bit of stress for them but not a bit of chipping.

Glass can actually be a very strong material. And I guess the small, compact, round, smooth shape gives them a lot of support. In the same way that an egg shell is fragile but the shape is strong so long as the stresses are evenly distributed. Still, it's quite an impressive thing how marvelously the glass and stone beads hold up. ...especially compared to the glued-on elements that I've had such trouble with.

Tragic, really, that the Mountain Crystals can't play as nicely. I mean it seems apparent, really, that their beauty comes from all the little fissures and fractures that make them more vulnerable but, still, so sad when they lose their integrity. I wonder if they will turn out to be an expensive mistake for TB...

LilHobbit wrote:I just finally heard back from Trollbeads. They want me to send them the remnants from the broken one and they'll send me a new one. Despite the issue with it, I'm very glad that they are replacing it for me.

Great news~

beadiack wrote:

Trollperle wrote:I am glad that TB will replace the bead!!

I heard that Chrystals very often are mined using explosives and then they are divided/cut into rather small pieces, polished, a hole is being drilled into them, they are probably thrown more than once before they become jewellery or healing stones - I think they have to endure a lot of stress until they finally are being worn on a bracelet, a necklace or placed in a nice spot. Thus, I am always amazed at the healing qualities they still carry. I do love mine and cherish them

I am really quite amazed at the kind of punishment that all of the glass and stone beads take, actually. I don't know about everyone else but I just leave my bracelet on all the time. I sleep in it, and cook in it and go through the activities of my day in it and the beads knock around together. When I travelled recently, I just took a bunch of beads with me loose in a small cinched bag. Probably a good bit of stress for them but not a bit of chipping.

Glass can actually be a very strong material. And I guess the small, compact, round, smooth shape gives them a lot of support. In the same way that an egg shell is fragile but the shape is strong so long as the stresses are evenly distributed. Still, it's quite an impressive thing how marvelously the glass and stone beads hold up. ...especially compared to the glued-on elements that I've had such trouble with.

Tragic, really, that the Mountain Crystals can't play as nicely. I mean it seems apparent, really, that their beauty comes from all the little fissures and fractures that make them more vulnerable but, still, so sad when they lose their integrity. I wonder if they will turn out to be an expensive mistake for TB...

I have been amazed as well at the quality and craftsmanship of Trollbeads, especially compared to other makers such as Pandora and Chamilia. This is one of the major things that drew me to Trollbeads over the other companies. I knew that the Swiss Mountain Crystal had a lot of internal cracks and fissures in it, which was what makes it such a gorgeous bead. However, I thought that that portion of it would be encased in the strong glass that is on all of their UU's and other regular glass beads. It is not, that's for sure. It does not seem to have a strong encasing on it at all, which honestly surprises me. I purchased a new Swiss Mountain Crystal and I also have the one that will be coming to me from Trollbeads as a replacement bead. Truthfully, I am quite scared to actually wear it on a bracelet now. The new one I have is quite crackly as well and I don't know whether that replacement I receive from Trollbeads will be the same way or whether it will be a smoother, less crackly bead. Perhaps if it is smoother, I'll wear it on the bracelet and keep the crackly one safe in my jewelry box.

I certainly hope that this doesn't end up being a costly mistake of a bead for Trollbeads. It's quite a gorgeous bead, but amazingly fragile.

it confirms the suspicion i had about this crackly bead