Murano Glass
Murano glass originates from Murano, an island in Venice which had been the glasswork capital of the globe in the 13th Century. Murano glass jewellery includes crystalline glass, millefiori, enameled glassworks, bright colored glass, together with smoky glass all came from Murano.
Murano beads, that are more commonly called Venetian Jewellery or Venetian beads, are made of Murano glass canes. These types of glass canes are produced from 70% silica sand, with the remainder being stabilizers for controlling the melting point, increasing its molten state, modifying its color and preventing the glass from bubbling. The glasswork canes are cut using a tagianti, the glass maker's slicing tool for glass and the copper rod intended for holding the glass. The cut pieces of cane are then melted utilizing open flame lamps and or blowtorches.
When ever a piece of glass becomes fluid, at a temperature of just about 800F, the glassworker employs copper rods, nowadays commonly called copper mandrels, to scoop a smaller piece of the molten cane. At this temp, occasionally embers of molten glass pops, producing burns if not carried out by a master craftsman. When a drop of glass is stuck on the copper rod, it is actually heated up in the lamp as well as molded using one of many forming tools.
Once the shape is completed, additional decorations such as gold strips, metallic strips, etc may be wrapped around or even inside the glass piece. The glass is hot worked just as before, then allowed to cool in a bed of silica known as vermiculite. Whenever the bead is finished, the extension of the mandrel is usually chopped off, together with making use of nitric acid solution, the inserted part is dissolved.
Today, glass-working techniques are already widespread, however the best glassworks still are from Murano. Right through the centuries, Murano's glassblowning masters have refined their techniques and were able to create crystalline glass pieces, enameled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multi-colored glass (millefiori), milky glass (Lattimo), as well as reproduction gems created from glass. These kind of intricately-designed pendants, beads, and gems that are common in these modern times where marvels of their day. The way of life of Murano and its glassblowers continues to this day along with the gorgeous jewelery that is its result is sought after across the globe. In these modern times Murano glassblowers utilize it in making all sorts of items of jewellery, from bracelets to elegance necklaces and has proved to be quite popular. Different colours are achieved by the form of glass-blowing as well as the the types of materials, making it possible for Murano glass to be a truly versatile element in jewellery.