Fire Polished Glass Beads

Czech fire-polished beads are sometimes called crystals but are really pressed glass beads rather than crystal.  They are made by pressing glass into a mold to make the bead and then faceting it by machine.   The “fire polish” is attained by slightly melting the surface of the bead to enhance the luster.  This process results in a slightly rounding off of the facets which identify it as glass rather than crystal.The unique appearance of fire polished beads gives them an antique quality, lending to their beauty and usefulness.