Bead innovation - a factory history.

Rutovsky beads.

This bead factory is located in a very small village about a half hour drive outside of Jablonec. Just the scenic drive is worth it to see their bead production, and they have fabulous beads.

I pulled this off their website: Our family business has a long established tradition in the glass industry. Our story began with the production of hardmetal forms (graphite molds) which we made for bead factories, and then in 2005 we extended our production portfolio to include glass beads. We mainly focus on developing new shapes and designs of traditional Czech glass beads. Our main priority is to deliver a product of the highest quality and a full service for all of your orders. Based on our wide technical background we are happy to transform your concept into a real product.

This got our attention, because Jme designs beads and then they could make the molds to make the beads.

love of crafting in the Rutkovsky family connects several generations. Tradition, family life and a great enthusiasm to create something goes hand in hand with our commitment. But how did everything begin?

The tradition was established by Frantisek Rutkovsky the great-grandfather of the current generation in 1900. He bought a building in Koberovy which had very good transportation access and – what was the most important at the time – a water source. These were two main conditions for his dream to establish his own business. This dream came true several years later and he was producing jewels from brass and chrome. Frantisek Rutkovsky was kind of an innovator. His house was the first one in the village to be connected to the electricity supply. He founded the very first school in Koberovy and started going on business trips to the far lands of America which was very expensive and time-consuming at the time. Back then he was employing about 40 people. At the beginning of World War II. his business was extended by the jewels from silver and also gilding. Unfortunately after the war there came a decline in the Rutkovsky business because in 1948 the nationaization occured and the state company Zeleznobrodske sklo took over the business. All the machines and equipment were moved to different premises and only a storage room remained in Koberovy. ( that’s communism for you).These were dark times for all family businesses in the country, for the Rutkovsky family this lasted until Frantisek´s grandson Vladimir who studied metal engraver specialization started to rebuild the family business in his birthplace in 1992. He produced the molds for pressing glass during the glass beads production. Together with his 2 sons he extended the business with the glass beads production and in 2007 the first pressing machine was turned on. Since this moment glass beads from Koberovy have travelled to many satisfied customers in Czech Republic and all over the world, from Japan to the United States of America. ( I would like to note here that is when we first saw them on our working bead tour with our international mix of guests, USA,UK, Japan, Canada). So our tour propelled the company into international export. Because trust me, we all bought like crazy that first time, actually, every time since then.

We actually just call them the Rutovsky Brothers, that is our code name for the company. For years it was our secret.

The beads they design and make are fabulous, but the best way to see them is in person, so come to the Czech Republic and see them first hand, and meet the innovators in person. It will be worth the trip.