Wondering about your rosary quality?

Hello all!
This is my very first blog post!  I'm going to try to chit chat about rosaries over here but you just never know what topic might pop up.   

So....How do I know if a rosary is going to last?  Well, that's a very good question.  One of the ways you can tell the quality and therefore anticipated durability of a rosary is by examining the components the rosary is made of.  
Putting aside that rosaries can be made of various types of cord & strings, there are three main types of metals when it comes to rosary making.  

The first and least expensive of these metals is aluminum.  It's an excellent choice for rosaries that are made for the missions because it's inexpensive which allows for more rosaries to get into the hands of more Catholics.  But, aluminum is a soft, bright metal that easily bends and often breaks.  It's usually not the ideal choice you'd like for a gift-quality rosary.

On the flip side, the most expensive metal components you can choose are sterling silver or 14K gold coated over sterling silver.  It's a wonderful choice.  When using these metals, the quality is apparent, but along with that quality comes a very large price tag.  The great cost of the components prohibits most everyone from purchasing a rosary made with these components.

The final choice for rosary making is nickel coated brass.  The feel of the wire when it bends is nearly identical to that of the costly sterling silver but at a much lower cost.  The durability is excellent and can be equated to that of costume jewelry.  The metal has a nice sheen to it, rather than the brightness that is typical of a aluminum rosary parts.  And, one of the things I really like about using nickel coated brass is the vast selection of center medals and crucifixes there are to choose from.  The parts literally number in the hundreds, if not more.  You will get many, many years of use out of a rosary created with nickel coated brass.  

All of the rosaries I create here at Regina Caeli Rosaries are made with nickel coated brass (this includes silvertone as well as goldtone).  I do also work with sterling silver or 14 K gold over sterling silver upon request.  You can browse my store to see many of my ready to ship rosaries, or click on the "create a custom rosary" button to create a special rosary just for you.