Inside the Bead Factory: Part 2
Touring the Traditional Bead Factory Near Prague
After selecting the color rods, it was time to visit the workshop. Tucked into the rolling hills outside of Prague, the building looks humble—but inside, it's a treasure trove of tradition, creativity, and craft.
This factory has been in the same family for generations and still operates much as it did a century ago. Inside, old-world machinery hums steadily, powered not by automation but by practiced human hands. Everything is done on a small scale, in short production runs, by artisans who know the tools and techniques like second nature.
From Rod to Bead: A Process of Precision
The process begins with the rods I selected—long sticks of richly colored glass. These are heated in open flames until they become malleable, then pressed into steel molds to create consistent shapes and sizes.
Some of the shapes used in my jewelry today were made using these very molds, decades ago. The father of my partner is known as the master mold maker for the village, and when we dream up a new bead shape, he’s the one who creates the iron mold used in production. This is how we created our signature Martha’s Vineyard necklace and charm after my last visit! I look forward to dreaming up new shapes to turn into future beads.
The molds themselves are vintage and irreplaceable—passed down and preserved like heirlooms.
After shaping, the beads are slowly cooled to prevent cracking. If they cool too quickly—or even too slowly—they can crack. And get this: different colors cool at different rates and need to be babysat for hours, sometimes days.
Then comes sorting. The broken pieces are removed, kind of like peeling away the extra dough after cutting cookies from a rolled-out slab. Depending on the design, some beads are cleaned and polished and finished. But the most special ones travel to another site to be hand-coated with colored finishes that are baked on—like a glaze.
Many of these return to the original factory for a process called table-cutting, where skilled artisans shave off the glaze on the front and back to reveal the colorful beauty beneath. No two batches turn out exactly the same, and that’s what I love most—there’s always a touch of surprise.
A Rare Skillset in a Changing World
What struck me most during the visit was how few people in the world still know how to do this work. The younger generation isn’t stepping into these roles as often, and factories like this one are becoming rare. The artisans here are preserving something truly special—and it reminds me how important it is to support this craft by designing jewelry that showcases their work.
Why It Matters for My Jewelry
What makes this particular glass so special isn’t just the beads themselves—it’s the raw material. The glass rods used to make them vary slightly in hue and quality from batch to batch. I’ve learned that to get the exact colors I want, I have to be there, choosing with my own eyes.
Even within a single color family, the variation is stunning. There are hundreds of shades of blue—each with a different depth, shimmer, and balance between green and purple. Some rods have a second or third color swirled through the center. Some are dotted or striped. Some glow. Some are translucent and moody; others are bold and brilliant.
My partner at the factory took me to the source—the warehouse where all the color rods are stored—so I could choose for myself. Standing in front of drawers labeled with numbers and lots, each filled with pressed glass samples, I could instantly see what photos or catalogs never capture.
I pulled out colors I hadn’t seen in years and discovered new ones I can’t wait to design with. Coral! Oh, how I’ve missed you. Our former bold coral had morphed into a soft, boring tomato—but I found her again! That indescribable orangey-pinky-red that lights up every skin tone. I felt re-energized creatively—like my palette just expanded in the best possible way.
When you buy a piece from my collection made with these Czech beads, you’re not just buying jewelry. You’re investing in a long line of craftsmanship—from the artisan pulling the glass, to the factory worker pressing the bead, to my own studio on Martha’s Vineyard where the final piece is made. It’s a collaboration across cultures and generations, all coming together in a necklace, bracelet, or pair of earrings.
Next up, I’ll share highlights from a museum visit that gave me even more appreciation for the legacy of glass artistry in this region. It was emotional, inspiring—and full of color.