Measure your bead in millimetres.
Nepali Rudraksha are the largest in the world, which is exactly why smaller Java beads get sold as Nepali. Photograph your bead beside something of known width, mark four points, and this page works out the diameter by proportion. It is geometry, not guesswork — and nothing leaves your device.
Take the photograph
- 1 · Lay the bead on a flat surface with a bank card beside it, touching the same surface.
- 2 · Hold the camera directly above, not at an angle — perspective is what ruins this measurement.
- 3 · Get both fully in frame, in daylight, and take the shot.
Questions people ask about bead size
How do I measure a Rudraksha bead at home?
Put the bead flat beside something of known width — a bank card is ideal at 85.6 mm — and photograph both from directly above. Then mark the two edges of the reference and the two edges of the bead on this page, and it works out the diameter by proportion. No ruler markings needed.
What size are Nepali Rudraksha beads?
Nepali beads are the largest in the world, which is the whole reason Java beads get passed off as them. Our own single beads run above 25 mm. Java beads are typically much smaller, and honest sellers price them far lower — so size, measured properly, is one of the few checks a photograph alone can support.
Does a bigger Rudraksha mean a more powerful one?
The tradition does not rank beads by size — the mukhi count is what carries meaning. Size affects rarity and therefore price, and it affects comfort: a large bead is magnificent to wear and unwieldy to count in a 108 mala. We make no claim that larger beads do more.
How accurate is this measurement?
Good to roughly a millimetre if the camera is directly above and both objects lie flat in the same plane. Photograph at an angle and perspective will stretch one object more than the other. Measure twice, turning the bead ninety degrees between shots, since Rudraksha are rarely perfect spheres.
What size bead is best for a 108-bead japa mala?
Smaller beads suit daily counting: a mala of very large beads becomes long and heavy in the hand. Larger beads suit wearing as a single pendant or a shorter strand. We photograph the actual malas with sizes noted so you can decide with your own eyes rather than from a number.
Can size alone prove a Rudraksha is Nepali?
No. Size is strong supporting evidence, never proof — a large bead could still be carved, joined, or filled. The conclusive test is an X-ray showing one internal seed chamber per face, which we offer on request before you pay.
Do you measure beads before shipping?
We photograph and film your exact piece before any payment, and we will measure it on request and show you the measurement in the same message. If size matters to your choice, say so when you write and we will include it as standard.
What can I use as a reference if I have no bank card?
Any object whose width you know exactly: a coin at its official mint diameter, a ruler, a sheet of A4 at 210 mm across. Avoid guessing — the whole measurement scales from that one number, so an approximate reference gives an approximate answer.