Calcedonia (Chalcedony) is a glass made with silver and other elements (glass is above all a chemical reaction which takes place in heat), developed in Murano during the mid fifteenth century. Angelo Barovier is attributed with developing this polychrome glass around 1460 (the 15th Century).The Barovier name has been synonymous with Murano Glass since the furnaces…
Just a little refresher on terms we use in jewelry making. Math, it turns out, is also useful for jewelry making. Conversions Factors To Go From To Multiply By Carats DWT 0.128603 Carats Grams 0.2 Feet Millimeters 304.8 Feet Meters 0.3048 Grams Carats 5 Grams DWT 0.6430149 Grams Troy Ounces 0.03215075 Inches Millimeters 25.4 Inches…
Our beads all take a similar path arriving here to have photography made, get names, assign Product Codes and finally to you. We begin with the famous Effetre glass canes which are produced on the island of Murano in much the same fashion as hundreds of years ago. The Effetre factory is a secretive place…
Our beads are handmade and well, sometimes there are shards of glass left when the mandrels are etched out. I know many people think the holes are “drilled” but that would be so time consuming, hazardous to the health and we would break a ton of beads along the way. Rather, most of our beads…
We published this article a few years ago, but it is still valid. I was prompted to update it when a reader on our FaceBook Page commented on a picture of beads and saying “wow so expensive, i find these places …. i go to garage sales, and regular stores and can get some amazing glass beads…
If you list any items on Amazon, you already know that you need a UPC or EAN to list. Then Google decided not to be left out of the party, so they opted for the GTIN. Now eBay, last in line, decided to stick with Amazon and they will now require a UPC or EAN or…
Ever so often a customer’s question reminds us that while we are familiar with our beads, and what appears to us to be obvious is definitely NOT, especially to new beaders! We learn from all your questions. And a picture is always a good idea. So, here are a couple of tips on using our authentic Murano…
Since the Colors of the Year were announced by Pantone, we’ve been trying to create some designs which feature our authentic Murano Glass Beads. And I was having a bit of difficulty with the colors. Then at a girl’s softball practice, there they were – and created by nature for all of us to see.…
One of our favorite Fusion laboratories is pretty much a one-man show. He is young, very precise and very energetic. Fusion is a lot like baking cookies. You cut the dough, you cook the dough and you decorate. Only it takes skill and patience, diamond saws, lost of dust and you best be careful. The…
Murano has converted the Abate Zanetti School of Glass into a technical institute. Abbot Vincenzo Zanetti founded the school in 1826 as a design school for the glass workers of Murano, fought to improve the living and working conditions on the island and pay standards. It continues to offer glass classes attended by blowers and bead makers from…