OUR LADY OF GRACE ROSARIES

Czech Glass Beads

Czech Glass Beads

We create our handmade rosaries in the tradition of Christian artisan design. Pictured here is a finished rosary.

Czech glass beads are designer quality. The Czech Republic invented fire polishing, which gives them a smooth, scratch-resistant finish.

SHOP for Rosaries with Czech Glass Beads

About Czech Glass Beads

Origins

The production of glass began in the Czech Republic (Bohemia) as early as the 12th Century. Among their early products, they were making beads used for rosaries at local abbeys. The location was ideal because of its natural resources.

Leading Exporter

The technique of fire-polishing glass began  in the late 16th Century.  In Jablonec, a small village just north of Prague, the idea took root.  

In the late 1920s, they became the top glass bead exporter worldwide. Today they continue to lead the glass bead-making industry with quality products.

Manufacturing

There are several steps to make glass beads. First, glassmakers combine hot glass with metal oxides to create the desired colour. Then, they pour and press the hot, softened glass into bead molds. Next, they grind tiny facets into the cooled glass. It is these angled cuts that will reflect the light. 

Finishing Touches

Next, they directly apply fire to the faceted beads. This step is the traditional fire-polishing method. It gives them a smooth, scratch-resistant finish. Finally, they coat some of them with a finish.

This process gives them a smooth, scratch-resistant finish. Czech fire-polished beads have both sparkle and depth of reflection at a fraction of the cost of crystal.

Rosaries

The majority of our rosaries have Czech glass beads.  The combination of price, quality, and variety is unmatched. 

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Handmade Catholic items by Our Lady of Grace Rosaries are designed to be cherished and built to endure.

Discover how bead type, size, and spacing change the finished look of a rosary.  Click to learn more.

CREDITS

The LOGO image of Our Lady of Grace is original artwork by Martin Lariviere in 2009. We have the artist’s permission (my son). It is our exclusive trademark logo image.

A beautifully photographed sky by Donald Tong inspired the website’s colour scheme. Cropped portions of it are the background for the footer Bible verse. He shared it as a free download on pexels.com.

Raphael painted The Sistine Madonna circa (1513-1514). We made circular cut-outs from the original image.

Our information is from general knowledge, experience, and shared internet resources. We’d like you to use it as a starting point for your research to verify facts and build a reference list.

IN REVIEW
Were was the technique of fire-polishing glass beads invented?

The technique of fire-polishing glass began in the late 16th Century in Jablonec, a small village north of Prague, Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic).  By the late 1920s, they became the top glass bead exporter worldwide.  They continue to lead the glass bead-making industry with quality products.

What is fire-polishing (glass beads)?

Once machines have ground tiny facets into the cooled glass, they directly apply fire to the beads.  It gives them a smooth, scratch-resistant finish.

Where can I buy made-to-order or in-stock glass bead rosaries?

At Our Lady of Grace Rosaries, we have a large selection of made-to-order and in-stock rosaries with glass beads and other types of beads.

OUR LADY OF GRACE ROSARIES