The Artisan Difference
The Artisan Difference
Following a long-standing tradition, we make our rosaries with hand-held tools.
The Artisan Difference
A Long-Standing Tradition
The Art of Rosary-Making
Rosary artisans preserve the ancient skill of beading with wire. It dates back to at least the 15th Century B.C. For centuries, beading was exclusively a jewellery-making skill until a new interest flooded the artisan world.
On September 17, 1569, Pope Pius V established the devotion to the Dominican rosary. This official form of prayer beads quickly became popular. In the centuries that followed, more and more Catholics prayed with rosary beads. As a result, the need for rosary artisans was born.
Wood & Glass Beads
The first rosaries had wooden beads. In the late 1920s, the Czech Republic became the top glass bead exporter worldwide. Then, glass bead rosaries became household items.
Gemstone Beads
More recently, gemstone beads have been part of rosary design. August 9, 1991, was the advent of the internet. Since then, the entire world has become a marketplace for buying and selling. Artisans can now buy supplies and sell rosaries globally.
Specialty Wire-Work
Using an Ancient Skill to Create Something New
Wire-Wrapped Construction
Wire-wrapping is a skill dating back to the 11th Century B.C. It is different from making links. While a rosary link involves bending the wire twice per bead, wrapping takes more work. Wire-wrappers bend the wire 8 to 10 times per bead to make stacked piles of rings.
Compared to rosaries with links, wrapping takes more than twice the wire and the time. As a result, wire-wrapped rosaries are more costly. It is most noticeable with precious metal wires.
Cage-wrapping
Cage-wrapping is the most decorative way to wire-wrap. The artisan embellishes each bead with a gentle swirl of wire.
Wrapped Bows
Wrapped bows are one of the most practical applications of this technique. They are very reliable. Artisans frequently use them to attach beaded sections to the connector loops.
Although they will sometimes kink, bows will do the extra work necessary to secure a rosary. They can also replace lengths of chain. Above all, they are the most useful as connectors on rosaries with heavy beads.
Sacred Art
From an Artisan’s Perspective
What Rosary Making Means to Me
I believe that designing rosaries means creating sacred art. When a rosary pulls together inspiration with design, it can stir our inner longing for God. A rosary can draw us to the love of God and others.
Handcrafting them means paying attention to the details that will make them comfortable and, at the same time, unique. Comfort allows prayer to flow freely. Rosaries can also express individuality and different prayer styles.
I enjoy making a variety of rosaries to help you find inspiration.
Heart-shaped beads can be a reminder of God’s love for us.
You might enjoy praying with a hematite rosary. It will absorb the warmth of your hands as you pray.
A strung wood rosary is handy for praying while going for a walk.
One with gemstone beads reminds us of the beauty of God’s Creation.
Knotted rope designs are great for praying as you fall asleep. Since they are metal-free, they can also go with patients in an MRI machine.
A wire-wrapped rosary might be a favourite because the wraps create extra space between the beads.
Why Reliable Rosaries Matter
Why consider the artisan difference? Having a rosary you can count on matters.
Ultimately, a blessed rosary is so much more than its beads or components. It takes our focus away from keeping track of the prayers.
Then, we can pray more sincerely from the deepest part of our hearts.
Click to Share This Post
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.
The reference to the history of wire-wrapping is from a book by Joan Evans entitled, A History of Jewellery. by Dover Publications in 1989.
IN REVIEW
- The first rosaries had wooden beads.
- In the late 1920s, the Czech Republic became the top glass bead exporter worldwide. Then, glass bead rosaries became household items.
- Since the advent of the internet (August 9, 1991), gemstone beads have become part of rosary design. The entire world has become a marketplace for rosary-making supplies.
Wire-wrapping is a skill dating back to the 11th Century B.C. It has recently become popular for rosaries.
The wire is bent to make stacked piles of rings on each side of the beads.