Cost, or Value?

The Rosary is very personal for me, and each one conveys something specific. My prayer beads aren’t just a thing that I sell, but they are part of my conversation with the Holy Spirit – a look inside my heart. And I firmly believe that God inspires each design with a specific person in Mind (maybe you?), so I find it very hard to settle.

I remember seeing a picture of a garnet rosary that was about 400 years old – amazing. That’s my hope and prayer for these beads as well: that they will be treasured by you and your family for many, many lifetimes. Not because it’s neat to have an old rosary, but because the Rosary draws us ever deeper into the life and Heart of Christ. Miracoli Rosaries are designed to be an important part of your family’s story of faith, and I never lose sight of that.

From silver-filled wire to silver plate, or silver craft wire, there are all sorts of options to make a less expensive rosary. But it’s not the color that I’m after when I choose solid Argentium Sterling, it’s the low-tarnish property and the lack of fire scale in its manufacture. (Argentium is such an easy keeper, hardly tarnishing at all, that it only needs a quick wipe with a soft cloth to be gleaming once again. It’s an excellent choice with pearls. Just imagine polishing a .925 Sterling and pearl rosary with silver polish. No Thank You.)

I could also go with your average pearl from my local bead store. I love to shop local and support my fellow local businesses, but I’m not after convenience when I set out to make a pearl rosary, I’m after the inner glow of the pearl that reminds me of Our Blessed Mother, reflecting the light of her Son. And I want that beauty to last; it’s a design task that is only solved with gem-quality pearls.

As for crystal beads, there are some very, very tempting price points out there. But none of those beads are the proven performer that Swarovski is. I’m not willing to spend my precious resources on an unknown, and I won’t ask you to do that, either.

There are plenty of component choices as well. I have seen the most breathtaking designs in base metal, but I’ve seen what base metal can do in a hurry. Some people are allergic to nickel, and to be honest, the base metals don’t hold their beauty that long; I would never expect them to last for many lifetimes. The wonderful thing about solid Sterling and Bronze components, however, is that they are solid through and through, and they only get more beautiful with time.

With mineral and gemstone beads, there is a mind-numbing choice of stones to choose from: it’s like being a little girl in a candy store with a pocket full of pennies! It would be easy to get the cheapest beads out there, but I’ve never really been a fan of easy. Most amethyst, for example, has some sort of color variation in it, with some cloudiness for sure. For a rosary that really pulls you deeply into the Mysteries, though, you want beads that are dark, clear, and uniform.

I could certainly make them faster, and I did for awhile. The Patina Wrap just won’t be rushed; goodness knows I’ve tried. It’s a tight fit and only patience wins the day, so I go slow, and it works.

I only design rosaries that I would actually want to buy myself, from the materials to construction and every detail in between. Yes, it does take more to make and to buy a Miracoli Rosary, but when the cost of the rosary is broken down over even just one lifetime, it’s one of the best values anywhere.