Bean Charms
Th Curious History of the Lucky Bean charm
Why did the victorians wear tiny gold beans for good luck?
Yes... a Bean!
For more than a century, these peculiar little charms have been carried and worn as symbols of good luck — but their story begins long before jewellers started making them in gold.
Image credits: https://www.instagram.com/mo.beans.plz/
But The Story Begins Thousands of Miles Away...
Sea beans are seeds from enormous tropical pods native to the Caribbean and parts of North and South America.
Carried by ocean currents, they could make the remarkable journey across the Atlantic before eventually washing ashore on European beaches.
According to legend, these mysterious seeds were even among the clues that inspired Christopher Columbus to sail west in search of a new route to India and China.
The Bean that Survived the Sea
Carried by ocean currents across thousands of miles, sea beans could drift for years before washing ashore on distant lands.
The bean’s tough outer shell protected the seed within from the salt water during its long journey across the ocean. Remarkably, some could still germinate months later after eventually washing ashore on European beaches.
Why a Bean?
A tiny seed contains the possibility of an entirely new plant, making it a natural symbol of growth, beginnings, prosperity and possibility.
From Bean to Gold
Because genuine sea beans were relatively rare, local craftsmen began creating their own versions, carving bean-shaped talismans from materials such as wood and bone and selling them as symbols of good luck. Some were fashioned into pendants and worn around the neck, while others were strung together to form bracelets.
Over time, the humble lucky bean made the transition from folk talisman to fine jewellery, with jewellers recreating the familiar shape in precious metals such as solid gold.
They Came in all Kinds of Forms
During the Victorian era, jewellery was often chosen for its sentimental meaning as much as its beauty.
Gemstones were believed to carry a language of their own, so they were frequently added to lucky beans to give each piece a more personal significance.
Turquoise could represent “forget-me-not,” while diamonds symbolised “true love.”
Not every lucky bean was made from gold, either. Some were beautifully carved from natural materials such as rock crystal, amethyst, citrine, quartz and Blue John, allowing the colour and symbolism of the stone itself to add another layer of meaning to the charm.
Would you wear a Lucky Bean?
In recent years, lucky beans have enjoyed a revival in popularity, with antique examples becoming increasingly sought after by collectors.
More than a century after they first became fashionable, they are still worn today as symbols of luck, protection and good fortune.