Carved Brass Dragon Banzhi and Accent Bead

Carved Brass Dragon Banzhi and Boss Beads

Aroundsquare's carved dragon banzhi thumb rings and the boss beads are a project over a year in the making. These beauties are ground-up custom works, featuring commissioned artwork created just for this project. This series is manufactured through a combination of precision machining to create the rough forms, and patient hand carving to create the depth and details on each piece. 

19mm Brass Boss Bead Details:

Creating detailed artwork on a small bead is no small feat, and for this project we wanted a substantial canvas to display the carving, upgrading from our previous max 17mm boss beads to a whopping 19mm solid piece. The custom artwork features a dragon flying through the clouds around the bead, with a subtle Aroundsquare word mark at the top. These beads were designed to make a statement, and they make their presence felt not only in appearance, but also in use. You'll immediately feel the weight of them (19mm brass is a serious bead), and you'll find that they change up the balance point of any set you throw them on. In addition to the weight, the carving adds substantial grip to the beads, making them ideal for manipulation from the boss bead alone on wood or polymer sets, and making this type of manipulation possible for the first time on many of our metal sets as well. 

• Size: 19mm with 3.5mm bore 
• Weight: ~24.5g

Banzhi Thumb Ring Details: 

Not to mention the looks, the first time you handle our carved brass dragon banzhi, you'll know it is something truly special. The deeply carved artwork depicts a majestic dragon weaving through the clouds, with our logo stamped boldly in chop format.The weight is super hefty, the carving is deep and detailed, the rounding is generous and comfortable, and the overall impression is straight up stunning. Just feast your eyes, there's not much more to say. 

• Sizes: sizes 20.5mm, 21.5mm, and 22.5mm (interior diameters)
• Thickness is ~5mm all the way around, meaning the overall diameter will be ~10mm wider than the interior diameter
• Height is ~18mm, much more than a regular ring
• Weight: ~45.5g-48g depending on size
• Note: Due to the width and overall chunkiness of the banzhi shape, they will feel very prominent on the thumb compared to a normal ring, and if you're unsure whether to size up or down, it's recommended you air on the large side.
• Please do your homework to ensure you purchase the correct size. Exchanges on mint condition items will be allowed, but exchange shipping costs both ways will be the responsibility of the customer.

More general information can be found below, and for anyone interested in the full narrative and some moving visuals of these beauties, have a look at the April 2025 drop preview video:

General Information on the Banzhi Rings 

It's rare for an implement of warfare to evolve into an item of jewelry, but this is precisely the history of the banzhi. Otherwise known as Chinese archer's rings, the banzhi in it's modern form is usually a thickened, cylindrically shaped ring, designed to be worn on the thumb. The history of the banzhi dates back several thousand years, when wide thumb rings were commonly used in archery, to protect the thumb from the heavy tension of the bow string. In the 1800s, as archery became less relevant as a military skill, more stylized and ornamental banzhi became a popular. These banzhi were typically made from jade, horn, or other semi-precious materials. As we do, Aroundsquare's banzhi are an attempt to honour and extend this tradition into the present, with a clean, minimalist take on the traditional designs, and using high quality modern materials. 

The banzhi are designed to be worn and appreciated for their inherent characteristics, and are not designed for manipulation. Some basic ring manipulation moves can be performed with them, but they are at their best when handled low key, and they actually work well for breathwork and mindfulness (see this month's drop preview video for details). The substantial size and rounded shape of the rings makes them satisfying in the hand and for those of you who are accustomed to always carrying something for flipping around and doing tricks, you may find it's often enough to have something like this on hand.