X by Trollbeads: New Limited Edition Ocean Blue Rubber X Links

The new X links debuted on 23rd May and although I don't have any nearby shops, our lovely postie managed to deliver mine the following day - go postie!

New Ocean Blue Rubber X Links!

Saturday saw me make a triple stack but it was hard not to keep using the black rubber X links as I was playing with my new metal links; so Sunday was the day I'd set aside to experiment more with the blue.

Yesterday I'd postulated that the new links look better with silver links but never one to give up on a challenge I thought I'd use all my links to make new bracelets in blue, both the silver and the bronze!

Here is the result, step by step and finally teamed with a fabric wrap.

Ocean Blue and Silver X combination

Ocean Blue, Silver and Bronze Bracelets

Ocean Blue and Bronze Bracelet, with a twist of Silver!

Double Stacked Blue X Bracelets

Triple stacked with a fabric wrap

I had a lot of fun making these up in the garden, it was a sunny day for a change, so I made the most of the time!  Here are the snaps I took to send to friends.

I'm still on the fence with using the blue links for me personally, I gravitate to the black naturally as I love the look with the silver and bronze X links and it's hard to break that habit, I think at the moment 9 out of 10 times I'd still end up making a black/silver/bronze combo, but that's just me!

I think the blue offers a great alternative for many people, it's a lovely colour and in looking back at the bracelets I made over the 2 days, it was the one I didn't show or have a pic of on it's own that I am most likely to choose first, a long wrap of black and blue in 2 solid colours with no other links, just rubber - you can see it below as I was messing around whilst wearing the triple stack from Saturday.

I plan to remake the all blue/back rubber one
but with all the blue and even more black!

I'm dying to see more photos from others who have the blue, and what they pair them with, as I predict if I were buying this for the first time and designing my first ever bracelet - I'd probably choose different links to go with the blue; so I can't wait to see the blue with other links!

What's your verdict?  What do you think to the new blue X?

Hit the comments and tell me what you think,

I'd love to hear all your opinions! 

X by Trollbeads: New Collection ~ Limited Edition Blue X, Cloud Flower & Bronze Heart

So my ambers weren't the only new arrivals on Saturday.

Friday saw the launch of the new X Necklace Collection and Wishes Can Come True, the new Ocean Blue Limited Edition (LE) X links and the first Bronze decorative link, My Heart.

All my X Collection with new additions: New Ocean Blue X Links, new Bronze heart link and new Flower Cloud

I'd been wrestling with my budget and ended up throwing it away to indulge in even more of the new carved amber beads, so I had to scale back on my original plans with the new X collection.  No big statement necklaces yet for me... BOOO!

The big statement necklaces that I can't indulge in just yet!
X by Trollbeads Necklace Collection - released May 23rd

So when I ordered online I decided to concentrate on the LE element, the new Ocean Blue X links and the (more affordable) smaller links in the collection, namely the single Flower Cloud link in silver and the first Bronze decorative link, My Heart.

If you fancy the bronze My Heart, don't forget you can buy this in a starter bracelet set, giving you 20 black X links and a bronze lock making a saving on the total cost.  If you need more links and/or a lock (don't forget you can use locks as links too) it's a really good deal.

Bronze Heart is also available as a Starter Bracelet Set as well as a single link

I was pleased with my choices and having had to forgo getting one big piece at rather a high cost, having a bag turn up full of new blue X links and the 2 new decorative links felt rather nice and was kinder on my budget.  It also meant that there was such a lot to play with out of the bag!

Top Row - Flower Cloud, single
Bottom Row - Bronze My Heart link

I'm so pleased that X by Trollbeads have made a decorative bronze link, it's been what I, and several other X fans have been clamouring for.  I know that bronze doesn't oxidise the way silver does, so it limits the designs more, but just look *how* beautiful a metal it is and how sumptuous it looks next to the black rubber X links.  

I love the new links and wasted no time in putting them into new bracelets,  but as much as I experimented with the blue, I found myself being drawn back to the black links.

My new X Stack!

I decided to swap out all the black links for blue in the triple combo to see what it would look like, and for now at least, my opinion is that the ocean blue links are more at home with all silver combos than with the bronze.

Well at least that's my opinion until I see something amazing with blue and bronze and then I'll change my mind :)

Same stack but swapping out the black X links for blue.

A surprising feature is that the single Flower Cloud is actually flat on the other side... the live pictures I've seen of the statement necklace piece show the same flat finish on the back.  

I'm a bit disappointed that it's different on the reverse.  As far as I know it's the only link produced so far that has a "flat" back - that is when the other side is rounded, obviously there are some flat links in the collection but they're designed to be flat on both sides and they're not links I've been tempted by.  Pixels in Love and Skyline are two that spring to mind.

Reverse of Flower cloud showing the flat side

I've been wearing this in a stack for 24 hours and find that the Flower Cloud link can and does flip over, so that's something to bear in mind if you're going to get one.  I can't see the necklace having the same issues but if I was paying the necklace price I'd want to be able to wear it on either side given that the design is asymmetric.

Another delight from Saturday (it was a very delightful day as you can see by the photos) - was that I now possess enough links for an all silver and bronze bracelet.  I wasn't a fan of this look originally (I do think the rubber "makes" the bracelet) but I think one of the reasons why I've changed my mind is that some of the silver/bronze combinations I've seen recently look more cohesive than some of the earlier attempts. 

My new triple stack "stretched out"

On Saturday I had the most fun with the two new single links; but my next challenge is to design some blue & silver bracelets!

I've read a lot of comments in forums and groups across the Internet that the New Collection has won some new fans as well as exciting the existing collectors.  Clearly I'm a big fan of X and really pleased to see something that I feel is more in keeping with what I felt the brand originally had the potential to promise.

But I'm keen to know what you think - do you like the new X by Trollbeads Collection?  

Hit the comments and let me know!