Comparative Appreciation of Two Malas (Prayer Beads)

I've been wearing this mala for a long time but haven't taken good pictures of it. Today, the light is right, so I took a few groups of photos by the window to show you its current state.

I got this mala two years ago. At that time, it was just an ordinary yellow-skin Rudraksha (large). The grain / texture was okay and the density was also good. There was nothing particularly outstanding. Unexpectedly, after breaking-in (patina process) for so long, the current color and patina are much better than I expected.

Comparative Appreciation of the Breaking-in (Patina Process) Effects of Two Rudraksha Malas (Prayer Beads)

When the new beads first arrived, the color was very light and they felt a bit rough to the touch. At that time, I didn't know much and thought that just breaking-in (patina process) more would do. After breaking-in (patina process) for a week with no change, I even thought there was something wrong with the beads.

Later, I found out that I was too eager to start breaking-in (patina process) and didn't clean the residue on the surface properly. I re-prepared the beads by dry-brushing with a hard brush for a month, brushing thoroughly every day to brush out the residue deep in the grain / texture. At this time, the beads felt different.

After preparing the beads, I wore and broke-in (patina process) them normally. In the first three months, I brushed more and broke-in (patina process) less. After getting a glossy sheen, I gradually increased the time of breaking-in (patina process). After about half a year, the color became darker and the gloss on the surface appeared.

What it looks like now

Now the color of this Rudraksha is dark red, translucent. The patina is very thick and it has a strong jade-like texture. Under the sun, each bead emits a warm luster. The dragon-ridge (ridge line) is translucent, and the color in the grooves is slightly darker. The three-dimensional sense of the grain / texture is very strong. It feels heavy in the hand and the touch is very good.

Someone asked me recently if this was an old mala I got. They said it didn't look like it was newly broken-in (patina process) judging from the patina. I told them it was actually not many years old, but they didn't quite believe it.

Looking back at the breaking-in (patina process) process in these two years, there really isn't any special secret. It's just patience. Break-in (patina process) and brush it every day, not being impatient or causing unnecessary trouble. When encountering problems, look up information and find ways to solve them without giving up. Over time, the mala will naturally give you a reward.

Finally, a few words

After being in this business for a long time, the most common thing I hear is "When will it turn red after breaking-in (patina process)". In fact, there is no shortcut. After enough brushing and breaking-in (patina process), the color will naturally come. Being too eager to start breaking-in (patina process) the mala instead easily makes the beads uneven in color.

I'll stop sharing this set of pictures today. I'll continue to play with the mala in my hand and update the changes after a while. Friends with the same type of mala, let's chat in the comments about which stage you're at now.