Research into the fabrication of pre-Columbian gold beads from Panama was carried out as part of an ongoing study on pre-Columbian gold at the Smithsonian Institution. Roughly 2100 beads were included in the study, originating from the collections of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), and from recent excavations in Panama. Technical examination and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis were carried out in the first phase, which permitted the beads to be divided into compositional, formal and technological categories. The most common type, the rolled and joined sheet bead, was chosen for more in-depth study. Variable-pressure scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (VP-SEM-EDX) was carried out on selected beads in order to identify the joining method used. No elemental variation was detected along the exterior surfaces or over cross-sections of the join regions, suggesting that solder was not used as a bonding method for this type of bead.