Pretty colourful beads~glass or metal? Any help appreciated x x

Hello everyone...bought these yesterday, (only 50p as per my usual practice so not much invested if they are rubbish) x
I DO like them though, so pretty!

We used to have metal jugs and cups at primary school,and these remind me of those a little. Though I am not sure if they are metal or glass. One or two have damage,can see underneath the coating but still can't quite work out what they are.

They are on a fine silver thread. Heavy. Irregular shapes. I have tried to look for them online but haven't found anything similiar, could be that I am not using the right search terms. They are approx 68 cms in total length xx
Many thanks for looking x x















Many thanks everyone <3 x x

 

Metal, I'd say.

 

I DO think they are metal, personally too...hubby thinks they may be glass and he's usually right. I don't think he is now though...they are so odd,why are they strange shapes? xx

 

Hollow or solid? My thoughts are clay with some kind of metallic glaze or even polymer clay, if it can be given that kind of finish. The varying sizes & imperfect shapes say to me they started by being rolled between the palms.

 

whoops sorry, dunno what I did there...very soild. Definitely not clay...pretty sure they are metal. Rather heavy x

 

There is some damage, and under looks like metal

 

They are cold, also...cold heavy and solid x x

 

I often misinterpret photos. The interior of this one does not look like metal to me:

 

Nor to me.
The damage shows layering, that should indicate something to someone. Anyone?

 

And lumpy. I don't even know how you would go about making metal beads that way. Strung on coated bead wire?

 

These are polymer clay:

 

Hi all, many thanks for all replies x x
My pics are atrocious and do not tell the story,at all really...underneath,they are dull until I gave it an exposed bit a bit of a polish...it's shiny. I'm going to try and take better pics. It's dark here today though...well there is a bit of sun but very sporadic!

 

I totally see what you mean, and they ARE odd shapes like pearls, and they do have the coating put on in layers. Absolutely no idea what they are, and I have them in hand. Clay makes utter sense...I just don't think they are but am beginning to doubt my senses! It HAS to be something x
They are cold though, and heavy. So weird.

 

I think polymer clay is the best explanation. It is quite dense, popular with makers of hand made beads, and is not gritty like real clay. The one showing underneath the surface looks to me like someone may have mixed together the leftovers from making beads that required keeping the colors separate (it can be used to create a millefiori effect) and rolled these.

 

The brownish one is where I've polished it, it's not a reflection...the underneath is shiny where I've polished it

 

This pic: the very bottom layer is showing above and to the right of the hole. It looks dull here, when I polished it it became much shinier

 

Layers upon layers. Just can't see someone drilling ball bearings, then coating them in 2 layers of something & stringing on bead wire.

 

I don't either...makes no sense. Tis shiny under though...I am as sure as I can be too that it's not a clay of any type. Too heavy and cold. BUT have no explanation either

 

From a how-to site:

Metallic polymer clay is a translucent polymer clay that uses mica powder as its pigment. Many brands of polymer clay carry gold and silver in their range.