Striped Bone Disc 108 Mala with Charms & Tassels
Striped Bone Disc 108 Mala with Charms & Tassels
Between sizes? Size up — a little room sits more comfortably.
Spiritual Meaning
In Tibetan Buddhism, a mala of 108 beads is used to count mantras, one bead for each recitation. The guru bead marks the start and end of a round; by custom you turn back at it rather than pass over it.
Here the guru bead is carved as a skull. In Tibetan Buddhist art, skulls point to impermanence: nothing stays as it is, and seeing that clearly is a reason to live gently and pay attention.
A gau is a small portable shrine. In Tibet, travelers and pilgrims have long worn one on a cord or belt to keep a prayer, a blessing or a small sacred image close. The small gau box on this mala carries that shape.
In Tibetan Buddhist ritual, a small hand bell is rung during practice, and its clear note is traditionally associated with wisdom. The sound rises and fades, a quiet lesson in impermanence of its own.
Wear it, or hold it, as a reminder to slow down, notice small things, and begin again.
Description
Specifications
Material: Bone Disc Beads, Carved Bone Skull Guru Bead, Metal Beads, Bells, Charms and Gau Box, Colored Beads, Hand-Knotted Cords and Tassels
Beads: 108 bone disc beads, 10 × 4 mm, honey-yellow banded with dark brown stripes; each bead varies slightly
Wear: wraps about three times around the wrist, with the charms hanging free
Style: Tibetan / Himalayan, unisex
Suitable for: Mantra Counting, Meditation, Daily Wear, Mindful Gifts
The Elements
108 bone disc beads · 10 × 4 mm, flat rounds in honey-yellow with dark brown stripes and slightly rough edges
Carved bone skull guru bead, ringed with metal
Large opaque orange bead between metal spacers
Deep green beads with small golden rings
Metal beads inlaid with red and blue-green dots
Dark metal olive-shaped bead with a golden tip, an etched metal bead and black glossy beads
Golden bead and round bead in cloud-scroll relief on a green cord, ending in a cluster of honey-orange cube beads
Metal gau box pendant with a relief on its face
Two small golden bells
Two strings of small golden beads, each ending in a small metal finial
Oval orange-brown bead carved with a face, on an orange-gold cord
Small white tag with a dotted pattern and a round white bead carved with an interlaced knot, finished with a red tassel
Three carved white beads on a blue tassel
Mint-green carved bead and a small mint-green bead on red thread
Slim dark tube bead with white lines in a dzi pattern
Long green tube bead with dark veining on a red tassel
Yellow and red beads, a four-lobed metal pendant pressed with circles, a flared metal pendant with a dotted pattern and a small gourd-shaped metal charm
A small carved tile with a Chinese character
Tassels in blue, red and mixed colors; cords in blue, green, red, black and gold
Each piece knotted and wrapped by hand
This is a hand-strung artisanal piece. Each bead carries unique grain, tone and texture. Slight variations in color and carving are normal and part of its charm. No two bracelets are identical. Please allow 3–4 business days to make.
Free over $99 · US 7–12, intl 7–20 business days
Free on orders of $99 or more; otherwise standard shipping is $8. Each piece is prepared by hand over 3–4 business days, then takes about 7–12 business days to reach the US, or 7–20 business days elsewhere. Faster options, where available, are shown at checkout. Shipping Policy
30-day limited warranty
Every piece is strung and knotted by hand. If something gives way under normal wear within 30 days of delivery, we will repair, restring or replace it, and cover the shipping.
Covered: a broken cord or elastic, a knot or clasp that fails, beads or parts that come loose, or a piece that arrives damaged.
Not covered: accidents, everyday wear and the way bone, metal and cord change over time, soaking or contact with chemicals, and repairs made elsewhere.
To claim: email support@blessmuse.com with your order number and a photo or short video. We reply within 1–2 business days.
15-day returns & exchanges
Not quite right? You can return or exchange a piece within 15 days of delivery.
- Condition: unworn and unused, in its original packaging.
- How: email support@blessmuse.com with your order number before sending anything back. We reply within 1–2 business days with the return address.
- Shipping: return shipping is paid by you. The original shipping fee is not refunded.
- Refund: sent to your original payment method within 3 business days of receiving your return.
Arrived damaged, or broke with normal wear? That's covered by our 30-day warranty. Returns & Exchanges
1% of every order set aside for the Highlands
We set aside 1% of every order to support Himalayan craft communities and the high-altitude lands that inspire our pieces. As BlessMuse grows, we'll name the partners we give to and share the details here.
- Made to be worn every day
- Secure checkout
A Small Collection, Carried Close
Some people keep a few small things close: a bell, a carved bead, a little box with something folded inside. This mala gathers things like that onto one strand, a small collection made to travel with you.
The strand itself is 108 thin discs of bone, honey-yellow and banded with dark brown, their edges a little rough under the thumb. Stacked together they look like the rings of a cut branch. Brighter notes sit among them: a large orange bead, smooth and opaque; a few beads of deep green; metal beads set with tiny dots of red and blue-green; a dark metal bead shaped like an olive, tipped in golden metal.
Where the two ends meet is a skull carved in pale bone, and beneath it a golden bead worked in cloud scrolls. From there the strand fills with things to find. A small metal box in the shape of a gau, a relief on its face. Two little golden bells that sound when you move. Two strings of tiny golden beads. An orange-brown bead carved with a fierce, wide-eyed face. A white tag pricked with dots, above a round white bead carved with an interlaced knot. Further along, a small pale tile carved with a Chinese character, and tassels in blue, red and mixed threads.
Turn it in your hands and something different catches the light each time. Then sit, start beside the skull, and let the discs pass one by one, a breath for each, until you come back to the carving and the small sound of the bells.
Striped Bone, Metal and Knotted Cord
The main strand is 108 bone disc beads, each 10 × 4 mm: flat rounds in honey-yellow, banded with dark brown stripes, with a slightly rough texture along the edges. Set among them are a large opaque orange bead between metal spacers, deep green beads with small golden rings, metal beads inlaid with red and blue-green dots, a metal bead with an etched pattern, a dark metal olive-shaped bead with a golden tip, black glossy beads and small spacers.
The two ends meet at a three-hole guru bead of carved bone in the shape of a skull, ringed with metal. Below it, on a green cord, hang a golden bead and a round bead in cloud-scroll relief, ending in a small cluster of honey-orange cube beads.
The strand is hung with pendants, charms and tassels: a small metal gau box with a relief on its face; two small golden bells; two strings of small golden beads, each ending in a small metal finial; an oval orange-brown bead carved with a face, on an orange-gold cord; a small white tag with a dotted pattern above a round white bead carved with an interlaced knot, finished with a red tassel; three carved white beads on a blue tassel; a mint-green carved bead beside a small mint-green bead; a slim dark tube bead with white lines in a dzi pattern; a long green tube bead with dark veining; yellow and red beads; a four-lobed metal pendant pressed with circles, a flared metal pendant with a dotted pattern, a small gourd-shaped metal charm, and a small carved tile with a Chinese character.
The cords are knotted by hand in blue, green, red, black and gold. Every piece is strung by hand, so the color, the striping and the way the pendants fall differ a little from one mala to the next.
Made by Hand
One Bead at a Time
Every strand is threaded and knotted by hand, slowly, the way prayer beads have been made for generations. No two come out quite the same.
Questions
How do I choose my size?
Measure your wrist snugly and add about 1 cm. Each listing shows its size range; see the Size Chart on this page.
How should I care for my piece?
Keep it away from water, perfume and harsh sunlight. See our care guides.
How much is shipping?
Free on orders of $99 or more, worldwide. Below that, standard shipping is $8. Each order takes 3–4 business days to prepare by hand, then about 7–12 business days to reach the US, or 7–20 business days elsewhere. Expedited shipping is available at checkout. Shipping Policy
Can I return it?
Yes, within 15 days of delivery, as long as the piece is unworn and in its original packaging. Return shipping is paid by you. Email support@blessmuse.com first and we will send the return address. If it breaks with normal wear within 30 days, we will repair or replace it. Returns & Exchanges
Complete the Story
FREE SHIPPING OVER $99
INSPIRED BY TIBETAN TRADITION
15-DAY RETURNS · 30-DAY WARRANTY
Care, returns & warranty
Care
Keep dry: Avoid water, sweat, perfume, and oil-based products.
Initial prep: Wipe gently with a clean cotton cloth daily for the first 1–2 weeks to form an even base patina.
Storage: Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight or extreme temperatures.
Polishing: Use a soft microfiber cloth to buff beads regularly to keep their luster.
Avoid impact: Do not drop or scratch the beads to protect their surface.
Warranty Policy
Every piece is strung and knotted by hand. If something gives way under normal wear within 30 days of delivery, we will repair, restring or replace it, and cover the shipping.
Covered: a broken cord or elastic, a knot or clasp that fails, beads or parts that come loose, or a piece that arrives damaged.
Not covered: accidents, everyday wear and the way bone, metal and cord change over time, soaking or contact with chemicals, and repairs made elsewhere.
To claim: email support@blessmuse.com with your order number and a photo or short video. We reply within 1–2 business days.