This article centers on gilded glass beads discovered through excavations conducted by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia in Mexico City, with a particular focus on the collection from the Convent of the Incarnation. This study challenges two prevalent notions regarding these artifacts in New Spain. Firstly, the archaeological context defies the conventional belief that these beads were exclusively intended for Indigenous or African-origin populations. Evidence suggests that these items were also a component of the attire worn by Spanish women of Peninsular and Creole origin who constituted the local elite. Secondly, by combining archaeological findings with historical sources, it becomes evident that the viceroyalty fostered a specialized glassmaking industry for the production of small objects, including beads. The practice of beadmaking in New Spain commenced during the 16th century and experienced its zenith in the 18th century, characterized by the emergence of distinctive stylistic features that probably included gilded beads.