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Gemstone Jewelry Designs
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Located off the shore of
Venice, Italy, the island of
Murano was a commercial port as far back as
the 7th Century. By the 10th Century it had become a well-known city of
trade. Today Murano remains a destination for tourists, and art and jewelry
lovers alike. Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these
century-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and
glass jewelry to murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers. Murano is home
to the
Museo Vetrario or Glass Museum in the Palazzo Giustinian, which holds
displays on the history of glassmaking as well as glass samples ranging from
Egyptian times through the present day. The
magic of the beadmakers of Venice and Murano with their skill and eye for
design make their Murano Glass Beads desired throughout the world. The process of making Murano glass is rather complex. Most Murano glass art is made using the lampworking technique. The glass is made from silica which becomes liquid at high temperatures. As the glass passes from a liquid to a solid state, there is an interval when the glass is soft before it hardens completely. This is when the glass-master can shape the material. The other raw materials, called flux or melting agents, soften at lower temperatures. The more sodium oxide present in the glass, the slower it solidifies. This is important for hand-working because it allows the glassmaker more time to shape the material. The various raw materials that an artisan might add to a glass mixture are sodium (to make the glass surface opaque), nitrate and arsenic (to eliminate bubbles) and coloring or opacifying substances. Colors, techniques and materials vary depending upon the look a glassmaker is trying to achieve. Aquamarine is created through the use of copper and cobalt compounds whereas ruby red uses a gold solution as a coloring agent. The millefiori technique begins with the layering of sliced canes of glass and conterie or tiny glass beads are formed by cutting thin glass canes into sections when cold then rounded when hot. Filigree, incalmo, enamel painted, engraving, gold engraving, lattimo, ribbed glass and submersion are just a few of the other techniques a glassmaker can employ.
For inquiries or to order email: sales@heartlinesllc.com
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HEARTLINES
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