This is a question we are frequently asked. Every bead Doug creates is individually made in a flame from a torch. The glass is melted, carefully crafted and made on a mandrel so there will be a center hole. (A mandrel is another name for a long metal bar.)
After he crafts a bead in the flame, he puts them in a kiln (like a very hot oven) which is set at over 900 degrees. Then Doug's beads are put through a special process called annealing. After a time of bathing in the kiln, the beads are allowed to cool slowly and over the course of the next few hours are brought down to room temperature. (Our kiln is digitally controlled.) This whole process is the key to making them very durable. A little known secret is that many of the glass beads that are made in China and other places overseas are not annealed. They may break much more easily. Annealed beads should last a lifetime.
We feel that quality is of the upmost importance and that is why we take the extra time and cost to make sure your beads are made right.
