Prayer bead beads being shaped by hand at the workbench
Handcraft

Handmade Prayer Beads

At Novatesbih nothing comes out of a mould. Each tasbih is shaped bead by bead at the workbench — turning, drilling, calibration and polishing are all done by hand, which is why no two pieces are ever identical. We decide which master takes on which piece, and we check the result one by one.

What Sets Handwork Apart

Bead-by-Bead Calibration

Every bead is measured by hand until the diameters match. Once strung, the tasbih runs through the palm without a single catch.

Hand Drilling

The drill angle follows the grain of each bead, so the imame and tassel line stays perfectly true along the whole string.

Staged Polishing

From coarse abrasive through to felt polish, stage by stage. The shine comes from the stone's own surface, never from a coating.

The Production Process

01

Selecting the Raw Material

Amber, Oltu stone, kuka and natural stone blocks are sorted before they ever reach the bench. Anything with a crack, cavity or colour fault never enters production — this first decision decides how long the piece will last.

02

Lathe and Measurement

The chosen block is rough-cut and then turned to shape on the lathe. The master measures each bead with callipers; on a 33-bead tasbih the work continues until the diameter difference is invisible to the eye.

03

Stringing and Final Check

Beads are ordered by colour and grain, threaded, and the imame, disc, finial and tassel are tied by hand. In the final check the piece is held, rolled and listened to — if anything is off, it is unstrung and done again.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell handmade prayer beads from machine-made ones?

Machine-made beads are clones of one another with sharp drill openings. In handwork the grain differs on every bead, the drill opening is softened slightly, and the polish never flattens the texture of the stone.

How long does one tasbih take to produce?

It depends on the material and the bead count. A 33-bead amber tasbih takes two to three working days on average; 99-bead and special-cut models can take up to a week.

Do you make custom sizes and personalised pieces?

Yes. Bead diameter, bead count, imame shape, tassel colour and box branding are all made to order. Corporate orders enter production once the sample is approved.

What if the string breaks or a bead is lost?

We stand behind every piece you buy from us: restringing, tassel replacement and missing beads are handled by us and carried out at the master workshops we work with. Send a photo over WhatsApp and you will get the process and cost the same day.

Tell us what you have in mind

From bead diameter to tassel colour — let's go through the details and give you a lead time and price the same day.

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