Industry Issues - Venetian Bead Shop Blog

Calcedonia Glass – Technique from the 15th Century, Lost and ReFound!

Calcedonia Glass Sculptures – San Marco Square Glass Shop

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 were moved to Murano from Venice. This famous family was granted the exclusive rights to the production of clear glass by the Venetian Repubic about 1455. The technique of this clear glass became known as crystal glass or Venetian crystal, which was a significant development in the story of glass and of the island of Murano..

The secret of the Calcedonia glass was closely guarded and entirely lost when the Venetian Republic fell. It varies widely in the colors which come out of the furnace, subject to the heat of the silver, humidity and the humor of the glass maker!

It was once again rediscovered by Lorenza Radi in 1856 but again by the 20th Century none was in production. Today we thank Loredano Rosin for bringing back this technique in the 1970s. His pieces are still on exhibit around the world and in private collections. His untimely death from a boating accident was a blow to the artistic Murano Glass community.

Fortunately, his brother Dino Rosin, carries on the family tradition and has continued to perfect this glass in large and beautiful glass sculptures. You can still find Dino Rosin sculptures available at very hefty sums on eBay and in fine galleries around the world, just search for his name. Today, there are several other well known masters who create sculptures in this unpredictable glass, including Tagliapietra.

For all of us in the Venetian Bead world, we are fortunate that there is another furnace who produces (with proper begging) canes of this unpredictable glass which we can chop and use in beads. However, this is a difficult production and we can only get small quantities made – never knowing what color will arrive.

We all dream of the blues and aquas…and sometimes we get it. The amazing, never the same, colors are produced by adding silver nitrate to the glass and the colors are affected by the humidity, the heat, and factors we don’t understand. The glass begins as salt, soda, sand and minerals days before the glass master is ready to work. The recipes for glass depend on very accurate measuring and minerals of the highest quality. Any small difference will result in color changes or in glass which does not react well in the flames when the beads are being made. It pops and cracks. The Calcedonia has a mind and life of its own, the colors can not be reproduced with any certainty. They continue to turn colors in the flames as the beads are made and even after the beads are in the annealing oven.

Making a Calcedonia Sculpture Murano Italy

Here are the colors of our latest batch, with added sparkle from Aventurina.

We must enjoy each batch of beads for what they are: unique little jewels!

Why Buy Murano – Venetian 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 for way less than half the price”

Another facebook reader said “regardez le travail des vrais perliers vous verrez tout de suite la difference !!” Look the work of real beads you can see immediately the difference. (Translation)

Having worked for over 2 decades with our beadmakers and glass blowers in Venice and Murano and having invested millions in the development of our bead store, our designs and our wonderful bead makers, I am a bit offended by the comments.

I do, however, agree with our French friend. When you see our beads, alongside the Chinese or Indian you will see the brilliance of the Murano Glass immediately distinguishes it. It all starts with the canes, produced in Murano by hand in the traditions of hundreds of years. Often imitated, but never quite the same.

So once again – Why Buy Venetian?

New designers are searching for their niche. Sometimes they fall in love with Swarovski, but it is everywhere and hard to make a name for yourself with such a ubiquitous commodity; and in the words of Brenda “an accent” bead! Though we do admit they compliment our Murano Glass.

They are made by machine, cut by machine and their very sameness is their appeal. Our beads however are NEVER the same! So much depends on the canes, the fire, the humidity, indeed the mental attitude of our bead makers. And when you order 2 beads, we handpick to match those two beads for you!

And let’s face it no one ever advertised that they have “Chinese Beads” and even Czech while again available everywhere, simply doesn’t carry the allure or romance of Venetian Beads. Tthough they were not the first in the world to make beads, the Venetians have certainly influenced the design and production of beads since about the 10th Century. It is also fascinating that women have always been a dominate force in Venetian Beads. While they were not welcomed into the furnaces the lamp workers have always included talented and very business savy women of both Venice and Murano.

Let’s remember that Marco Polo traveled to China taking beads! Remember that Manhattan was purchased with beads! Venetian Beads were the currency in Africa, known as Trade Beads. And we still make them pretty much the same way as then. Now that’s something to talk about with your customers or to tell your friends when you they ask you about the jewelry you are wearing.

Having Venetian Beads in your design gives you a story to tell. When you are at that hot and dusty Craft Fair, the sparkle under the sunlight will bring your customers in and your ability to weave the history of Venice will help you sell your jewelry. It sets you apart as a jewelry maker who appreciates the quality and the history. Wear it to the country club or your daughter’s softball game. It’s a fit everywhere.

We try to give you a little of the story behind the beads, behind our sterling silver and the trials and tribulations of daily life in Venice. Use the resources on our website to learn more about Venice and you’ll be able to talk to your customers, or just tell your friends why you chose Venetian Beads. No two beads are ever exactly alike, each is a small work of art born in the flames.

And if you ask me, I will just say I never was interested in any beads other than Venetian. I fell in love with the glass and working with the bead makers is a way for me to be a small part of the story of Murano Glass.

Here are some resources on our website that can help you understand our beads:

About Handmade Beads

Lampworking a Centuries Old Tradition

Bead Making Techniques and Terms

Gold Leaf Production for our Gold Foil Beads

Murano Production of “Pearlized” Beads for the Fashion Industry

Frequently Asked Questions at VenetianBeadShop

VenetianBeadShop Free Designs (if you need inspiration and instructions – this is your place)

UPC, EAN, GTIN, ISBN – What does it Mean?

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 they threaten your search results will suffer.

Google Product Feeds Deadline Looming of 16 May

We are getting close and there is even a new “business” there are companies that will do this for you. For a price!

VenetianBeadShop.com BarCodes

For those of you who have seen us at shows where we exhibit, the bar code reader is really handy. It lets us check out our customers fast, makes no mistakes in addition, and we give you a printed receipt complete with the SKU so you can double check and re-order. We have a system, 1) Take a plastic bag 2) Take a barcode label 3) Write the quantity on the label. And best of all for us, it updates our inventory at the same time.

So getting with the 21st Century, here’s what you need to know.

UPC

Universal Product Code used for tracking items in stores (you know like when you scan your item at self check) For those really curious, read the Wikipedia Article, 60+ years in the making.

The first item ever scanned through a grocery store was in 1974, a 10 pack of chewing gum. It cost $.67!

With the UPC there is a theoretical maximum of unique barcodes: 1 trillion

EAN

European Article Number: It’s a UPC on Steroids, adding 1 extra digit at the beginning of each UPC number.brought on by the necessity of additional available numbers and voila the new theoretical maximum increased from 1 trillion to 10 trillion. Not an insignificant accomplishment it you think of the infinite number of items for sale (or manufactured in China for Christmas holidays!)

Even for a non mathematical person, it’s easy to see we may need to add another digit which would make how many trillion available, I think 100 trillion. You can check me to see if I am right.

ISBN

International Standard Book Number: This is reserved for books and you’ll have to go learn about it yourself, since I haven’t written any books, nor do we sell any at the moment.

GTIN

Global Trade Item Number, this one will cost you. Set up by GS1, a “nonprofit” group that sets the standards. (Note how expensive this nonprofit group is.) And you need a different barcode for each different item, even if the only difference is color or size. Wish I had though up this business.

And why do we need these? For our handmade beads, there is “sort of” an exclusion. But in theory this universal numbering system makes it easy for the computers to scan across the internet for them, if you search for an item with this code (as each code is unique – until we hit 1 trillion) the Googles and Amazons of the world could retrieve the item wherever it might be and serve it up to you in a search result.

And as an added benefit, even fake items on eBay and Amazon, may be easier to spot. And to think I used to name our beads after the children whose parents made them- lol. Welcome to the 21st Century!

FTC New Rules for Jewelry – What You Need to Know

As a designer, artist and jewelry maker, it is unlikely you spend a lot of time contemplating the rules laid our by the FTC, Federal Trade Commission, but as persons, partnerships, corporations at every level of the trade who are engages in manufacturing, distributing and the sale of products, you too are subject to these requirements. For the full FTC document for which they seek comments view the FTC Comment Document. Apparently this broad document has been undergoing review since 2012. Note that if you have any comments, they must be submitted by 4 April 2016. You can also review any comments on the FTC Website as they pursue their charter to promote competition and protect and educate consumers.

The new “rules” reflect revisions to existing interpretations of:

Surface application of precious metals (i.e., platings)
Products containing more than one precious metal (Vermeil, Silver and Gold Fill)
Alloys with precious metals below minimum thresholds
Lead-glass-filled stones
Varietals
Cultured Diamonds
Use of the term “gem”
Treatments to pearl products

1.Surface Applications of Precious Metals

Proposal to require a “full” disclosure of the metals in a piece of jewelry, especially when it is an alloy or a plated product. Additionally, to strengthen the durability of surface applications of gold which would basically require at least 22karat gold, rather than the 10 karat which is found in much jewelry on the market. The commission is attempting to make statements based on what consumers may expect regarding the durability of a product. And to require the disclosure of rhodium plating on other precious metals. The jewelry industry uses Rhodium plating to avoid tarnishing of sterling silver.

2. Products Containing more than 1 Precious Metal

The proposed new section states it is unfair or deceptive to misrepresent the relative quantity of each metal. It asvises that descriptions should list precious metals in the order of their relative weight. So it’s all about wordsmithing so that the consumer is not duped.

3. Alloys with precious metals below minimum thresholds

Requires marketing of products to provide truthful information about the precious metal and avoid giving the impression that lessor quality materials will perform as well as higher quality materials.

4. Lead-Glass-Filled Stones

Proposes more accurate description of stones which have been infused with substantial quantities of lead glass. So if the stone has been infused with lead glass, that must be in the description.

5. Varietals

This provides that certain misleading terms must be discontinued. For example “yellow emerald” can not be used to describe a golden beryl and “green amethyst” cannot be used to describe prasiolite.

6. Cultured Diamonds

Diamonds which are laboratory created must state exactly that, i.e., laboratory-grown, manufactured by, synthetic.

7 Misuse of the word “Gem”

Avoid the misuse of Gem names such as Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Topaz, Birthstone or Gemstone.

8 Treatments to Pearl Products

Provide adequate descriptors to disclose treatments, if it is (a) not permanent, (b) has special care requirements (c) has a significant effect on the products value.

In Summary

The changes are aimed at accurate descriptions and names to safeguard the consumer and avoidance of confusing descriptions to products. You just need to label the items you sell honestly and accurately

The final wording is not yet cast, but generally these are the issues. Much of the logic of the FTC is based on what the FTC calls “reasonable expectations” of a customer. Many of their rules are based simply in “Truth in Advertising”, a noble cause, just not an common goal everywhere in the world.

The FTC and it’s rules are aimed at safeguarding the American consumer, but the big question is enforcement in an age where products available in every stores comes from world wide sources where the FTC has no authority.

How to Avoid Problems?

It comes down to knowing and trusting your supplier. It is also why we do not accept returns of Precious Metals findings. We cannot sell resale returns as the testing to verify the metals is too time consuming and expensive.

Take a look at our large selection of Findings.

Quantity is really how hard you work – NOT a definition of “Art”.

I have been a member of ISGB (International Society of Glass Beads) for about 15 years and GAS (Glass Art Society) equally as long. So I was a little taken back when I received a pamphlet at the GAS conference here in San Jose, CA (where I spent 3 days volunteering) called “How to Buy Glass Beads – A Shopper’s Guide to Finding Quality Art Glass Beads” which is a real “looking down the nose” at those of us who produce more than 5 beads a week.

OK, so you can see I am not making this up, I just scanned it in so everyone can read – (hopefully not our bead makers who would be terribly offended!)

And inside it continues…

The prices of the factory-made beads are often “too good to be true”. We work very hard to keep prices down and deal with not only fluctuations in the Euro but also in precious metals pricing.
Another sign of factory-made beads is quantity – the fact that our bead makers show up every day and make beads is a penalty?
Is the work “professionally” displayed (This means 5 beads of in a plate of rice?)
Quality and Techniques used for centuries in Murano are not “real” EXCUSE ME? Where do you think ISGB beadmakers learned?
Ask the seller to tell you the name of who made bead: Yes, really I am going to reveal my beadmakers whom I have cultivated, spend millions – YES, and 20 years of my life to develop.

PLEASE, the Venetians and Muranese have been doing this since the 800s and before. Recent discoveries in Altino digs have uncovered murrine (millefiori) from the 1st Century AD. Altino was destroyed in 452 AD by Attila forcing its people into the islands we now know as Venice.

American “artists” came along only few years ago. The fact that our wonderful bead makers support themselves, raise families, send their children to college, buy homes (and YES they can make quantity) only adds to their status as artists. Most of the beads these so called “ISGB artist” make have origins in Venetian Beads.

Quantity is really just a matter of how hard you work – NOT a definition of “Art”.

For example the Chevron Bead in the brochure that you see above – no artistic work there, just copycat of Venetian and from even earlier bead makers.The development is absolutely Murano in the late 1400s as documented in The History of Beads by Lois Sherr Dublin, the “bible” of beads, ISBN 0-8109-2617-2. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of beads around the world.

Among my bead makers, I count

One who owned his own Murano Glass furnace – until his wife making beads became so successful he closed the furnace and now works for her.
A maestro who worked at Venini (Murano Glass Furnace) – have you seen their pieces? I dare you to say he is not an artist!
One who began as an apprentice in a furnace at 12 years old, and has raised 2 daughters making beads in his home.
One who began as an apprentice at 13 in the Seguso Murano Glass Furnace under the famed Archimede Seguso, who was a truly demanding Maestro.
One who is a 3rd generation Venetian bead maker – bead cards from his family are in museums around the world.
One who learned from her mother, who worked in one of those “factories” and is considered the Queen of the Fiorato bead in Venice and Murano.
A maestro in a Murano Glass furnace who invented machines so he could produce blown beads easier (and in quantity) :>)
And many more! And I count them all my friends and respect their work!

They will work day and night, weekends to produce the beads we need.

I find it very interesting that any glassblower, Chihuly included, will acknowledge immediately that Murano is the cradle of glass blowing and respects their Maestri. Yet ISGB somehow believes they invented bead making.

Might I remind them that the Doge of Venice gave the right to make beads to the crafts people Venice in a decree in 1291 when the furnaces moved to Murano? And that the “union” of beadmakers in Venice and Murano dates back to 1308 when the State Inquisition organized the beadmakers into a Guild “Arte de’Margariteri” while the ISGB is a mere baby having been formed in 1993.

Incidentally that is the same year we began importing VenetianBeadShop.com began importing beads from Venice and Murano.

Time Line of Beads from 30,000 BC to Present – Note ISGB a newcomer in 1991!

Here are what our canes look like before they are ground to make either the chevrons or we also use in our Chevron Blown Beads

Read Venetian Bead Shop – History of Beads

Read History of Beads; Venetian Trade Beads

(P.S. – Jeff says I can rant on my blog – but not in my newsletters! So consider my ranting done.)

But I am seriously considering NOT renewing my membership!

To Anneal or Not to Anneal – a very good question?

This is a question we get often, especially from new beaders who have just been their first bead show. Are all Venetian Beads are annealed. She had heard that annealing makes the beads stronger. What is annealing?

The word comes from the metallurgy and materials science where it has long been recognized it increases the metals ductility and makes it more workable to heat above its critical temperature and then to cool which also relieves the internal stress of the metal. In glass, it is about mainting the glass at a constant temperature, known as soaking at the annealing point where the glass is too cold to continue working, but will continue to relax, so that the entire piece can gradually cool at the same rate. If the glass were left in the open, you can easily see that the outside would cool faster than the inside. Annealing keeps the temperature constant throughout the bead.

Above is a large muffola in a production furnace. Each piece of blown glass is placed in an oven which is temperature controlled to be sure all the glass is the same temperature and then to cool the mouth blown pieces slowly. In older days before temperature control and when they still used wood for the heating, the person who was in charge of this was called “uomo di notte” and his job was to stay all night and watch the process as well as prepare the glass for the next days work.

For centuries, the Venetians have annealed by:

1) flash annealed, where the bead is put back into the flame one final time to heat the bead to a consistent temperature and

2) slowly cooled the bead in a container of silica which helps hold the temperature. In older days, the Venetians used the sand from the lagoon which is called “fango” in Italian and was also used for the “bead release”. Today the world uses vermiculite for this process. Vermiculite is a mineral similar to mica which is fire proof.

The stresses set up in the bead have a lot to do with the amount of time it takes to make the bead, the decorations, etc and frankly the skill level of the bead maker. In our small beads, they are made rather quickly and there is very little value of annealing other than by use of the vermiculite. You can see the beads still on the mandrels and they are submerged into the vermiculite during the production day.

For our larger, obviously more complex beads we do use an annealing oven – called a muffola in Italian. For our Moretti glass, the annealing temperature is about 940F and it is important to keep them at this level and then bring down gradually. For our blown beads they are all annealed, here you see the small kiln beside the furnace.

Annealing does not make the bead stronger, it insures that there are no stresses set up in the bead during the cooling cycle. Tempering makes the glass stronger – which is the process used for car windows, shatter-proof glass, etc. Below is a type of annealing oven, a kiln produced in the US specifically for beads, note that it has a place for individual beads. (We do not use one like this as we make many more beads than this would accommodate.)

Regardless of how beads are annealed, each of our beads are annealed, most in the classic Venetian method. And below you see a tray of Venetian Beads ready to make jewelry.

Google

What Sizes are the Holes in Murano Glass Beads?

This is a question every new beader asks when they first encounter Venetian Beads. And then they ask, “What size wire should I use?”

Venetian Beads, Murano Beads

The most common size of holes of Murano Glass Beads is approximately 1mm. Approximate because they are most often made on 1mm diameter copper rods, which heats up and naturally expands. The glass wrapped around it expands as well, but when the glass and the copper cool, they both shrink. So we generally have a ~1mm hole and for larger beads, the mandrel will be larger as the mandrel must support the bead in the fire.

Copper Mandrels on our Venetian Dichroic Beads

We also make beads like our PerlaVita, European Large Hole Beads, Bimbi, our smaller European Large Hole Beads for Children, Duo and 2mm Rondelles which we developed for Leather and they each have different sizing. We make these on stainless steel rods using a bead release to keep the glass from sticking to the rods. Bead Release was used in Venice prior to the 1920s and was called “fango” meaning mud because it came from the lagoon. Bead Release is similar to kiln wash and contrary to popular believe it was not invented by Americans, but they did add graphite to it.

Stainless Steel Mandrels Ready for making PerlaVita Beads

So the short answer is that any wire which is less than 1mm can be used for Venetian Beads. The important issue is the weight of a bead. So larger beads from 16mm up through our 30 and 40mm beads will need a larger gauge wire. Venetian/Murano Beads will always be slightly abrasive around the edges. This is not a defect, simply how the beads are made.

Bracelets or Necklaces?

Bracelets will require a heavier gauge because bracelets are much more active and get more abuse than a necklace. Necklaces, especially those with Swarovski or small beads can be strung on a smaller gauge because they will not be subjected to as much stress.

Beadalon and SoftFlex

We carry wire from both Beadalon and SoftFlex, which are the standard setters in the beading industry. SoftFlex is produced in the US and much of Beadalon is also produced in the US, though they also import, each spool of wire will tell you the place of manufacture. Beadalon is part of a larger corporation which manufacturers fishing line. So your beading wire’s not-so-distant relative is fishing line! And probably the reason each line has a “pound” weight limit – so if you are fishing for really big fish, you need a heavier gauge line. If you are stringing large bead, you need a heavier gauge wire!

Strands of Wire

You will notice that both Beadalon and SoftFlex have different number of strands.The more strands in the wire, the more it can flex without breaking – and the more strands in the wire, the higher the pricing.

SoftFlex Label

The SoftFlex Label on the wire gives you a wealth of information, including recommendations for use of each type wire.The wire shown is 49 Strands with a 26 pounds test strength, and a diameter of .019 Inches which is .48mm. Since our Venetian Beads are generally 1mm holes, this is a good choice.

Wire Gauges are confusing!

The larger the number – the smaller the wire

QUICK CONVERSIONS

Gold, Gold Fill, Gold Plate and Vermeil – What You Need to Know

Gold (24kt) is really too soft for daily wear (and expensive) so Gold jewelry is generally alloyed with another metal to maker it stronger. It bears the mark of the karat weight. So 14/24kt Gold is 58.3% Gold, divide the karat weight by 24 (pure gold) to get the actual gold in a piece.

Gold Plate became an economical alternative to Gold and is applied to the finding or piece of jewelry after it is made of a base metal. It has a very thin layer of gold, again stated in karat weight, and a limited life. It is made by an electro-chemical process or flash, which is a very thin coating less than 0.25 Microns. The jewelers supply business sell small kits for gold plating like the one shown below for the DIY. The equipment ranges from a few hundred dollars to several thousands for the professional jeweler.

Vermeil is a higher value Gold Plate, by law must be .2mils thick and is plated over Sterling Silver using the same electro-chemical process. This combination make it better for those with allergy to nickel and other metals. It is one of our favorite, namely because the base is Sterling.

Facts about Gold Fill

It has a longer life than Gold Plate, wearable from 5 – 30 years.
14/20 Gold Fill means that 14kt Gold was used and that the weight of the gold compared to the base metal is 1/20 or ~5%.
Gold Fill cannot be cast.
Gold Fill cannot be soldered.
The color may not be as bright as Gold Plate.
It is legally required to contain 5% or 1/20 gold by weight. They are identified as 14/20 or 12/20 Gold Filled.

Gold Fill uses more gold in the process making it last longer than Gold Plate, yet still less expensive than Real Gold Jewelry. The gold is bonded to the base metal, usually sterling silver or brass with pressure and high heat. The bonded raw material is then sold as sheet or wire to jewelry manufacturers.

The process was patented in 1900 by Charles Russell and Edward Goddard of Providence RI. This is no surprise as that was the home of the costume jewelry industry for years. If you’d like to read the log version, you can find at http://www.google.com/patents/US651533

To see how it was made in 1955 and still today in Attleboro, another important area for jewelry manufacturer.

We offer all them all on our website www.venetianbeadshop.com just look in our Findings and Chains Section.

Measuring Crystals and Pearls – PP, SS, MM Made Simple

Swarovski and others crystals, rhinestones and flatbacks use PP, SS and MM, what do they mean and why!

PP means Pearl Plate and was originally used to measure, well Pearls. That’s because the pearls were graded through stacks of plates with varying size holes.

Actually we still use these in our first sort on sizes of our Murano Glass Beads. So if a bead/or stone is size PP 10 it will fall through larger plates but will stay in the PP10 and smaller. This helps us quickly sort through sizes of hundreds of beads – and obviously gives us a bit of range, which is why we always say “approximately”. And it would be virtually impossible for us to measure each bead with a micrometer.

SS means Stone Size and with the advent of better measuring equipmentm like bead gauges and micrometers, it has become the standard, just not as colorful history!!

They can all be converted to MM (Millimeters) and of course Inches and if you must, fractions!

Use our handy guide to understand or for reference.

Murano Furnace Crisis

Read our Blog on the trouble in the Murano. Click Here

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