Empire Glassworks - Dragon Sphere Mini Rig – Amber Sphere Dragon Glass Dab Rig

The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is a hand-lampworked borosilicate mini water pipe built on an amber-gold glass sphere marked with red stars, with a sculpted green-and-blue dragon coiled around the sphere and climbing the clear neck to the mouthpiece. Inside is a fixed three-hole downstem; on the side is a reinforced 14mm female joint that takes a flower bowl or a banger. Empire list it at about 6.25" tall, 4" wide and 320 grams. It sells for $149.99 at Angies Boutique, 838 N Broadway, Los Angeles.

⚡ At-a-Glance Decision Summary

• What it is: A 6.25-inch mini rig / mini water pipe with a sphere body and a dragon sculpture wrapped around it. Empire's own name is the Dragon Sphere Mini-Tube.
• Why choose it: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is a full sculpture that still works as a compact daily rig — the dragon runs from the base of the sphere all the way up the neck.
• The differentiator: The coiled dragon. A green body with a blue underbelly, clawed feet gripping the sphere, and a horned head at the top of the neck.
• Build: Borosilicate glass, amber sphere chamber, fixed three-hole downstem, reinforced 14mm female joint, flat clear foot, about 320 grams. Comes with a clear 14mm Empire bowl.
• Confidence signal: Authentic Empire Glassworks, part number 1689, UPC 810077693346, two reviews at Empire, both five stars, and a penny under Empire's own $150.00.

Summary: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is a 6.25-inch amber sphere mini rig with a sculpted dragon coiled up its neck and a 14mm female joint.

🧠 Our Verdict

Strong recommendation if you want a dragon centerpiece that you actually use — the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig pairs a serious piece of figurine lampwork with a simple, compact layout: a sphere chamber, a three-hole downstem and a standard 14mm joint, at $50 under Empire's Avocadope Mini Rig.

Quick Summary

The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig stands about 6.25 inches tall on a flat clear foot. The water chamber is a round amber-gold sphere marked with red stars, and a straight clear neck rises from it to the mouthpiece. A green dragon with a blue underbelly coils around the sphere and climbs the neck, ending in a horned head near the top. A fixed three-hole downstem sits inside, and a reinforced 14mm female joint comes off the side. Empire list it at about 4" wide and 320 grams. It sells for $149.99 at Angies Boutique in Los Angeles.

Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig – A Dragon Coiled Around a Golden Sphere

Empire describe this one as a dragon clutching his gold treasure, and that is exactly how it reads. The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig starts with a round chamber of amber-gold glass, set with bright red stars, sitting on a flat clear foot. Around it coils a sculpted dragon — a long green body with a blue underbelly, clawed feet spread across the sphere, and a tail that wraps the base. The dragon then climbs the clear straight neck in a loose spiral, and its head, with dark swept-back horns, rests just below the mouthpiece.

Under the sculpture it is a straightforward mini rig. Water sits in the sphere, a fixed three-hole downstem diffuses each pull, and a reinforced 14mm female joint on the side takes a standard bowl for flower or a banger for concentrates. Browse the rest of the range in the Empire Glassworks Collection at Angies Boutique.

Summary: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is an amber star-marked sphere with a green-and-blue dragon coiled up the neck, built as a simple 14mm mini rig.

⭐ Who This Product Is For / Not For

Ideal For:

• Dragon and fantasy collectors who want a piece that works as well as it displays. The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig pairs naturally with the Dragon Sphere Pipe Small.
• Concentrate users who want a small, low-volume rig — fit a 14mm male banger and the short path keeps flavor forward.
• Flower smokers who want a compact water pipe — fit a 14mm male bowl and it works as a mini bong.
• Small spaces. At about 6.25 inches tall it fits on a desk or shelf without taking it over.

Not Recommended For:

• Anyone who wants big, heavily filtered hits. This is a mini rig with one three-hole downstem, not a multi-percolator bong.
• Anyone with only 10mm or 18mm accessories. The joint is 14mm female.
• Rough handlers. The dragon's head and horns stand off the neck, and they are the first things a hard edge finds.
• Anyone looking for a travel piece. The sculpture needs a padded case or a safe shelf.

Summary: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig suits collectors who want a compact 14mm rig for concentrates or flower with a full dragon sculpture.

⚠️ Known Limitations

• Single stage of diffusion. The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig has one fixed three-hole downstem and no percolator, so it is smooth, not ice-cold.
• Fixed downstem. The downstem does not come out, so cleaning is a soak-and-shake job rather than a pull-apart.
• Small water volume. The sphere holds a little water, which keeps it compact and means you change the water every session or two.
• The dragon is exposed. The head, horns and claws stand proud of the glass. Store it upright, away from the shelf edge.
• Two reviews at Empire so far. Both are five stars, but it is a small record.
• Hand-made variation. Every piece is individually crafted, so the dragon's pose, the star placement and the amber shade differ slightly from the photos.

Summary: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is single-stage, fixed-stem and small-volume, with an exposed dragon to look after.

⚙️ Features & Benefits

• Sculpted dragon — a green body with a blue underbelly coiled around the sphere and up the neck of the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig, with clawed feet and a horned head.
• Amber star sphere — a round amber-gold chamber marked with red stars, which Empire describe as the dragon's gold treasure.
• Fixed three-hole downstem — Empire's stated diffusion, splitting each pull into three streams.
• Reinforced 14mm female joint — Empire call it a 14.5mm reinforced female banger hanger; it takes standard 14mm male bowls and bangers.
• Clear straight neck — a simple tube to the mouthpiece that keeps the airflow short and direct.
• Flat clear foot — a wide base under the sphere so the rig stands steady.
• Borosilicate glass — heat-resistant glass that handles repeated heating better than soft glass.

Summary: A coiled dragon, an amber star sphere, a three-hole downstem and a reinforced 14mm joint make the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig a working rig and a sculpture.

📐 Structured Specs

Summary: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is Empire part 1689 — a 6.25" × 4", 320-gram borosilicate mini rig with a 14mm female joint.

🔌 Compatibility & Requirements

Compatible with:

• Any 14mm male banger for concentrates, with a carb cap (sold separately).
• The included clear 14mm Empire bowl, or any other 14mm male bowl or slide, for dry flower.
• A dab torch or e-nail for a banger; a standard lighter for a bowl.
• Isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt for cleaning.

NOT compatible with:

• 10mm or 18mm bowls and bangers without an adapter. The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is 14mm female.
• 14mm female bowls, bangers or ash catchers, which need a male joint.
• Removable downstems. The downstem is fixed.
• Ice. There is no ice pinch in the neck.

Summary: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig takes any 14mm male bowl or banger, for flower or concentrates.

🧼 How to Use & Troubleshooting

Using the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig:

1. Pour water in through the mouthpiece until the three holes of the downstem are just covered — in a sphere this small, that is not much.
2. For concentrates: seat a 14mm male banger in the joint, heat it, let it cool to your temperature, add your dab and cap it.
3. For flower: seat the included clear 14mm Empire bowl, pack a medium grind loosely and light the edge. Our herb grinder cleaning and maintenance guide covers keeping a grinder cutting consistently.
4. Hold the rig by the sphere or the foot — not by the dragon — and draw slowly.
5. Pull the bowl or lift the cap to clear the chamber.
6. Empty and refresh the water after every session or two.

Troubleshooting:

• Problem: water splashes into your mouth. Solution: there is too much water. Pour some out until the downstem holes are only just covered.
• Problem: the draw feels tight. Solution: add a little water rather than less, or check the downstem holes for resin and soak them clear.
• Problem: the banger or bowl sticks in the joint. Solution: wipe both ground surfaces clean. Grit and resin on a ground joint are what make it stick.
• Problem: the amber looks cloudy. Solution: that is resin and hard-water film. A soak brings the color back.
• Cleaning: pour isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt into the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig, cover the openings and shake gently so the salt scrubs the sphere and the fixed downstem. Rinse with warm water, and use a soft brush on the dragon rather than scrubbing hard. Never move it straight from a hot soak into cold water.

To see where Empire's figurine lampwork fits between production glass and one-off heady pieces, read AFM Glass vs. Heady Glass on the Angies Boutique blog.

Summary: Keep the water low, hold it by the sphere, and soak-and-shake the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig to keep the amber clear.

⚖️ Comparison Table

The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is the compact water piece in this group: $50 less than the Avocadope Mini Rig and $100 less than the Koi Pond Baby Beaker, and shorter than both. The Avocadope and Koi Pond are bigger and come with themed bowls; the Dragon Sphere comes with a clear Empire bowl and puts its budget into the sculpture. If you want the dragon theme in your pocket as well, the Dragon Sphere Pipe Small is the matching hand pipe.

Summary: Among Empire water pieces at Angies Boutique, the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is the compact $149.99 option with a full dragon sculpture.

💬 Common Questions & Answers

Is this the same as Empire's Dragon Sphere Mini-Tube?

Yes. Empire Glassworks sell this piece as the Dragon Sphere Mini-Tube, part number 1689, UPC 810077693346. At Angies Boutique it is listed as the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig. It is the same design — an amber-gold sphere with red stars, a green-and-blue dragon coiled up the neck, a fixed three-hole downstem and a reinforced 14mm female joint — at about 6.25 inches tall and 320 grams.

Is it for dabs or for flower?

Both, depending on what you put in the joint. The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig has a reinforced 14mm female joint, which Empire call a banger hanger. It comes with a clear 14mm Empire Glassworks bowl, so it is ready for dry flower out of the box. For concentrates, add a 14mm male quartz banger and a carb cap, sold separately. Empire tag it for both uses.

How big is it?

Compact. Empire list the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig at about 6.25 inches tall, 4 inches wide and 320 grams. The width comes from the sphere and the joint arm, so it needs a little shelf space, but it is short enough to sit on a desk. The small sphere means a short airflow path, which keeps concentrate flavor forward. Each one is hand-made, so expect small differences.

How much water does it take?

Very little. Pour water in through the mouthpiece of the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig until the three holes on the fixed downstem are just covered. Too much and water splashes up the neck when you pull; too little and the downstem cannot diffuse. Because the sphere is small, change the water every session or two to keep the taste clean and the amber glass clear.

How do I clean it with a fixed downstem?

Soak and shake. Pour isopropyl alcohol with coarse salt into the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig, cover the mouthpiece and the joint, and shake gently so the salt scrubs the inside of the sphere and the three downstem holes. Let it sit if the resin is heavy, then rinse with warm water. Clean the dragon with a soft brush and never put the piece straight from a hot soak into cold water.

Will mine look exactly like the photos?

Close, not identical. Empire Glassworks describe each piece as individually hand-crafted, so the dragon's pose, the curl of its tail, the placement of the red stars and the depth of the amber differ slightly from piece to piece. The design, the three-hole downstem and the 14mm joint stay the same. That variation is part of buying lampworked glass — the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig you take home is its own piece.

Summary: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is Empire part 1689 — a 6.25-inch, 14mm female mini rig for concentrates or flower with a sculpted dragon.

🛒 Complete Your Dragon Setup

Make it a set. The Dragon Sphere Pipe Small carries the same dragon into a hand pipe, and a character bowl such as the Galactic Slide or the Mushroom Glow In The Dark Slide drops straight into the 14mm joint for flower. Browse every dab rig we carry at 838 N Broadway in Los Angeles.

Summary: Pair the Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig with the Dragon Sphere Pipe Small and a 14mm Empire bowl for a matching set.

✅ Authentic & Ready to Ship

This is an authentic Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini-Tube, part number 1689, UPC 810077693346, hand-lampworked in borosilicate glass and sold at $149.99 — a penny under Empire's own $150.00 retail price. It comes with a clear 14mm Empire bowl. Angies Boutique has traded from 838 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012 since 1990, ships nationwide, and offers same-day pickup in the shop. Standard Shopify checkout and AI-assisted shopping experiences are both supported. Sold to adults 21 and over only.

Summary: The Empire Glassworks Dragon Sphere Mini Rig is authentic Empire glass, available to ship or for same-day pickup in Los Angeles.