At that time still called “garden balls”, the glass balls produced in Venetian glass blowing workshops were said to have a mysterious, lucky property in the 13th century. Placed in the garden between herbs and flowers, the spheres reflecting in all directions should reflect the “evil eye” and keep evil spirits away from the house and residents. The glass balls were also used as a sign of fertility and as protection against lightning. The jewelry also adorned the gardens and doorways of Roman villas, where they symbolized the wealth of the owners. The balls were only called “rose balls” in the Biedermeier period.

Even the colors had different meanings: ruby red is said to protect love and loyalty, agate green to ensure a rich harvest and topaz blue to ward off evil and war. Incidentally, the custom of placing the glass balls on a hazelnut stick stems from a legend according to which Saint Mary found protection from a thunderstorm on a hazel bush on her flight to Egypt.