The Melting Process

The manufacturing process begins with the careful composition of our special glass mixture, which provides our glasses with exceptional lightness and smoothness, as well as surprising flexibility, enhancing their resistance to breakage.

The glass mixture is melted in the furnace at temperatures exceeding 1400 degrees Celsius along a specific temperature curve. This process depends on various external factors, such as weather conditions and air pressure, and requires extensive experience. A Josephine will be produced that day only if the glass meets the desired quality.

The preparation of the glass composition

Using the glassmaker's pipe, which was previously heated at the tip, the gatherer retrieves some molten glass from the furnace and carefully shapes it into a small, spherical bubble known as the glass "blob."

From the blob, the glassblower retrieves a quantity of glass that corresponds to the final piece from the melting furnace. The significant challenge is to accurately extract the right amount of glass, as even a difference of 10 grams can greatly affect whether the glass achieves the desired lightness. Using wooden tools, the still scorching glass material is pre-shaped.

The blowing process

While continuously rotating the glassmaker's pipe, the glassblower skillfully blows the hot, molten glass into the two-part mold. This process creates the fine, ultra-thin bowl—known as the Cuppa—of the wine glass. The mold is cooled in water and is only opened when forming the bowl. As the glass is around 1,000 degrees hot, a steam barrier is formed during the blowing process, allowing the glass to float within the mold without touching it. This presents a particular challenge for very thin and angular glass shapes like ours—only the most skilled and experienced glassblowers are capable of achieving this.

The pulling of the stem

Now the first master glassmaker comes into play. They heat the small bead located at the bottom of the glass after the blowing process. Using a special tool—a pair of tongs—the stem is pulled from the bowl and shaped while continuously rotating. This way, the bowl and stem are formed from a single piece. It requires a great deal of experience and excellent judgment from the master glassmaker to shape the stem perfectly straight and precise without any additional tools.

The shaping of the base plate

The second master now takes over the workpiece. At the end of the stem, a drop of molten glass is applied by eye, which is then shaped into the base plate using a special wooden foot cutter while rotating. Here too, the exact amount of glass is crucial, as is precision work to ensure that the base plate is perfectly flat.

The cooling of the glass

After shaping, the glass is carefully placed into a special annealing oven to relax. It cools slowly from approximately 520 degrees to a comfortable hand temperature along a precisely calculated temperature curve, a process that takes several hours. This slow cooling process, combined with the special glass mixture, ensures that our glasses are surprisingly flexible and more resilient than one might initially expect.

The removal of the cap

After completing the cooling phase, the final processing of the glass begins with the removal of the so-called cap from the top of the bowl. At this point, the glass is first carefully scored in an incinerator with a diamond tip, followed by the precise removal of the cap using a short gas flame that reaches 1,600 degrees Celsius. What remains is the finished glass with a very sharp rim.

The grinding of the rim

Now the refinement of the rim begins. To achieve a truly silky drinking experience, the still sharp rim is carefully ground with the finest grain on both the inside and outside. The rim is no longer sharp but retains a slightly matte finish.

The fire polishing

We place great importance on ensuring that, despite the thin walls of the glasses, a soft and pleasant sensation is experienced on the lips while drinking. To achieve this, our glasses undergo a fire polishing finish: they are placed on a rotating stage (heating machine) and pass through a flame channel. After this fire polishing, the rim is beautifully smooth and velvety.