How Different Harmony Necklace Styles are Made

The Harmony Ball, originating from Bali, Indonesia, as used on a harmony necklace is available in a number of different forms - this article describes the way in which a harmony ball is made in its two main different styles, the solid outer skin and hinged cage styles.

Some Harmony Ball styles are hinged on one side with a latch on the other thus allowing the cage of the Harmony Ball to be opened, while many Harmony Balls, also called an Angel Caller, Bola Necklace or Harmony Necklace, have a solid outer skin, i.e. they have a solid outer just like a basketball, football, tennis ball etc with a hollow inner. These are often very ornate with various types of symbols and characters embossed on the outside and come in various sizes.
Both styles are wonderful items of ornate Artisan crafted jewellery which produce a soft soothing chime sound with movement and are often worn on a long cord or chain as a Pregnancy Necklace.

               

Examples of solid skin style harmony balls, referred to as Traditional Balinese Harmony Ball designs

The hinged opening style of Harmony Ball differs in that the outer skin is more like a cage and made of either a Sterling Silver wire or thin sheet. These sterling silver cages are formed by the Artisan silversmith in two halves, or two halves of a globe, generally with one half having the vertical “pipe” or "pillar" typically associated with the popular Dream Ball style of Harmony Ball.

For the wire designs the Silversmith will have created a design and will “work” the thin Sterling Silver wire over a semi- circular dome mold fixed in a vice, forming the wire into the desired pattern whilst maintaining the shape of half of a globe. The process requires more than one piece of wire and some soldering of joints in certain places until the desired shape is obtained.

               

The skillful Silversmith then repeats the process for the other half whilst on this section he often will fix a “pipe” to the top. This is generally a hollow pipe formed from Sterling Silver sheet which is soldered to an ornate hood which in turn is soldered to the wire or sheet cage. The top opening of the pipe is then fitted with a semi-precious gemstone to seal it off and so some are known as a Birthstone Harmony Necklace. The original use of a 'Dream Ball', as it is sometimes called, involved the the gemstone sealing off the hollow end of the pipe being able to be removed (a force fit) to enable the wearer to insert a very tiny piece of paper on which they have written their dreams or aspirations and then replace the gemstone. Hence the would carry these dreams with them all the time in their Dream Ball.

For the Sterling Silver “sheet” style of cage the Silversmith will firstly meticulously carve an ornate design that he has created into a tough metal such as steel which is then hardened in a furnace (generally by the village Blacksmith) and then formed into a “stamp”. The Silversmith then uses this stamp by placing it on a thin sheet of Sterling Silver and hitting the handle of the stamp with a hammer to stamp out a patterned piece of metal that he will then form into a half globe shape in the same way that he would for the wire style of cage.

               

Examples of Hinged Cage style Harmony Balls using Sterling Silver sheet

The Silversmith then carefully solders the hinge elements onto each half globe on one side whilst on the opposite side he will meticulously solder the arm of the latch on one semi globe whilst fixing the latching eye on the opposite side making sure that they , and the two halves of the globe, meet perfectly. This part of the manufacturing of a Traditional Balinese Harmony Ball requires the utmost skill and care. If the hinge and latch do not work properly then the harmony ball is useless and will need to be melted down into Sterling Silver stock and the process started again.

The advantage of the hinged opening type of harmony ball is that it allows for the chime ball itself to be seen, and that the chime ball can be made of different materials and various colours to further enhance the visual appeal of these wonderful Harmony Necklaces.

It also allows a wearer to occasionally change the chime ball to alter the appearance of the pendant or in the case particularly of Sterling Silver or Brass Chime Balls to remove them occasionally for cleaning.

Harmony Balls are not exclusively worn by women who are pregnant and make wonderful gift ideas for special occasions including excellent Mother's Day Gifts.

Author: Mike O'Shannessy, 2019-10-18.
Publisher: DazzlersHarmonyNecklace.com

 

 

 

Mother & Baby Harmony Necklace represents Perfectly the Bond between a Mother and her Baby

the internal Harmony Chime Ball on this Artisan Crafted exclusive design Harmony Necklace creates a beautiful soothing soft chiming sound with movement.  

             

Pregnancy Necklace on Pinterest