How we make a rosary
Every rosary we make is hand-made to order specially for each customer.
We are passionate about the outstanding quality of our rosary reads, the following pictures will show why our ‘hand-wrapped’ pieces are so special and unique.
These pictures were all taken from our own workshop whilst building a black agate rosary with black Swarovski crystal spacers.
The parts required
Two sizes of Onyx beads, black Swarovski crystals, specially hardened sterling silver wire, sterling silver bead-caps, centrepiece and crucifix.
(Click on image for close-up)
Cut the sterling silver wire into the correct size to wrap around each bead (fig 1.). Make a small circular loop at one end of the wire and then wrap the wire around the bottom of that loop a couple of times trimming the wire to avoid sharp ends (fig 2.).
(Click on image for close-up)
This might sound straight-forward but this is a very difficult technique to master even for the most experienced craftsmen.
(Click on image for close-up)
Thread the bead and caps through the wire up to the loop and then make a similar loop and wraps at the other side of the bead to secure (fig 3.).
This process is repeated 74 times for each Rosary! (59 beads and 14 spacers), and uses 12.5 feet (almost 4 metres) of sterling silver wire!
(Click on image for close-up)
Once we have completely wrapped the first bead we then join the second loop and bead to the first bead before wrapping the loop to secure, and continue for each new bead.
Great care and skill is taken to ensure that each loop & wrap is tight and even, and the same size as the previous loop otherwise the finished piece will not look it’s best.
(Click on image for close-up)
Starting to join the components together, the decades, spacers, Our Father beads, centrepiece and drop to crucifix.
This particular model is using black agate or onyx beads and Swarovski black crystals as spacer beads.
(Click on image for close-up)
A close-up of the wrapping to illustrate the care and skill taken to wrap each bead.
There are 59 beads and 14 crystal spacers in this rosary, all individually wrapped by hand.
Click any of the pictures for close-ups