Method for cracking off glassware

A method for cracking off a glass article (1), rotating about an axis, said method comprising:

• in a first step, subjecting the glass article to the action of a continuous beam of laser rays or to continuous beams of laser rays, so as to define, on the article to be cracked off, a continuous region touched by the laser beam or beams, and
• in a second step, subjecting the region, which was subjected in the first step to the action of one or more continuous beams of laser rays, to the action of at least one focused pulsed laser beam,
• wherein in the first step, the beam or continuous beams of laser rays touch a part or parts of the region with a power density per unit area of less than 30 W/mm2, and
• wherein, in the second step, during approximately one rotation of the article (1) to be cracked off or during at least one rotation of the article (1) to be cracked off, the region which was subjected in the first step to the action of one or more continuous beams of laser rays is subjected to the action of at least one focused pulsed laser beam having a power of less than 250 W so as to form a series of successive points of impact separated from each other, the series defining a substantially continuous line in the part, and the crack-off taking place approximately along the line.