Archive for the ‘Gifts’ Category
The Colorful World Of Murano Glass Jewelry
Kevin Grinberg asked:
As you may already know, Murano is a small island just north of Venice and it has been the undisputable capital of Venetian glass for ages. Glass production in Murano started in 1291 when the Venetian Republic forced all of the glassmakers to move their entire workshops and factories out of the city to this now-famous Island. Murano jewelry and glasswork has been renowned around the world for centuries for the styles, quality of work and of course all the gorgeous colors.
When Murano jewelry is created, it all starts with the manufacture of the colored glass canes. This is probably one of the hardest parts in making the jewelry because the chemical compounds involved in making the glass colored are extremely sensitive. One of the biggest challenges that glassmakers have when they are attempting to achieve a certain color is adding in the chemical compounds not only because they are so sensitive but also because they must be mixed with complete accuracy to achieve a certain shade.
For Murano jewelry to come out beautiful, it takes a master craftsman in order to get the colors correct. For example, in order to create the amazing color of aquamarine, you need to add in a fusion of cobalt and copper. This takes someone who knows exactly how to mix the chemicals for them to retain their properties in the heat of the glass-making process, and how much of each chemical to add into the glass. Once these colorful glass canes are created, they may be used for all sorts of Murano jewelry, lamps and even beadwork.
Glass beadwork is something that is very fashionable right now. Not only is Murano jewelry some of the best-looking and unique beaded jewelry in the world, but it is also of the highest quality. In the world of glass collectors, designers, and admirers, Murano Island is a special and symbolic place. Glassmakers are still working there and some of the greatest glass beads, jewelry, artwork, and chandeliers are produced on this amazing island. While the island of Murano is not so easy to get to, the World Wide Web has made Murano jewelry more accessible. Searching the Internet is a fantastic option for those who want to find these amazing glasswork pieces, as there are websites offering various pieces of Murano jewelry for sale. However, one needs to be careful when buying Murano glass jewelry, because in recent years there have been many fake pieces and counterfeits from China and other countries offered for sale as “Murano Glass”. Every Murano glass buyer needs to know that Murano glass can only be produced on Murano Island within Venice, Italy. All other places of origin produce counterfeits.
When you purchase authentic Murano jewelry, you know that you are not only getting a piece of jewelry, you are actually getting a piece of history and art. This amazing art of glassmaking has been around for centuries and still today, Murano glassmakers are among the city’s most prominent citizens. Back in the olden days, many of the glassmakers that migrated to Murano Island held a lot of commercial and economical power simply because of all of the knowledge that they held in those days. Today, these incredible glassmakers are held in high respect for their work.
Murano jewelry is world-famous and has been exported all over the world for years. Whether you are looking for an unusual pendant, a pair of beautiful earrings, or any other stylish piece of jewelry, by buying Murano glass you create a unique and beautiful look that will impress everyone around you.
As you may already know, Murano is a small island just north of Venice and it has been the undisputable capital of Venetian glass for ages. Glass production in Murano started in 1291 when the Venetian Republic forced all of the glassmakers to move their entire workshops and factories out of the city to this now-famous Island. Murano jewelry and glasswork has been renowned around the world for centuries for the styles, quality of work and of course all the gorgeous colors.
When Murano jewelry is created, it all starts with the manufacture of the colored glass canes. This is probably one of the hardest parts in making the jewelry because the chemical compounds involved in making the glass colored are extremely sensitive. One of the biggest challenges that glassmakers have when they are attempting to achieve a certain color is adding in the chemical compounds not only because they are so sensitive but also because they must be mixed with complete accuracy to achieve a certain shade.
For Murano jewelry to come out beautiful, it takes a master craftsman in order to get the colors correct. For example, in order to create the amazing color of aquamarine, you need to add in a fusion of cobalt and copper. This takes someone who knows exactly how to mix the chemicals for them to retain their properties in the heat of the glass-making process, and how much of each chemical to add into the glass. Once these colorful glass canes are created, they may be used for all sorts of Murano jewelry, lamps and even beadwork.
Glass beadwork is something that is very fashionable right now. Not only is Murano jewelry some of the best-looking and unique beaded jewelry in the world, but it is also of the highest quality. In the world of glass collectors, designers, and admirers, Murano Island is a special and symbolic place. Glassmakers are still working there and some of the greatest glass beads, jewelry, artwork, and chandeliers are produced on this amazing island. While the island of Murano is not so easy to get to, the World Wide Web has made Murano jewelry more accessible. Searching the Internet is a fantastic option for those who want to find these amazing glasswork pieces, as there are websites offering various pieces of Murano jewelry for sale. However, one needs to be careful when buying Murano glass jewelry, because in recent years there have been many fake pieces and counterfeits from China and other countries offered for sale as “Murano Glass”. Every Murano glass buyer needs to know that Murano glass can only be produced on Murano Island within Venice, Italy. All other places of origin produce counterfeits.
When you purchase authentic Murano jewelry, you know that you are not only getting a piece of jewelry, you are actually getting a piece of history and art. This amazing art of glassmaking has been around for centuries and still today, Murano glassmakers are among the city’s most prominent citizens. Back in the olden days, many of the glassmakers that migrated to Murano Island held a lot of commercial and economical power simply because of all of the knowledge that they held in those days. Today, these incredible glassmakers are held in high respect for their work.
Murano jewelry is world-famous and has been exported all over the world for years. Whether you are looking for an unusual pendant, a pair of beautiful earrings, or any other stylish piece of jewelry, by buying Murano glass you create a unique and beautiful look that will impress everyone around you.
Venetian Glass Jewelry: Unique In Design And Rich In Tradition
Kevin Grinberg asked:
The variety of jewelry available on the market today is mind-boggling, and it is hard to make a choice among so many different options. One of the most beautiful yet affordable types of jewelry is Venetian glass jewelry also dubbed Murano glass jewelry. Not only is this jewelry beautiful, unique, and stylish, but it is made by hand only in Murano, Italy based on the ancient traditions, and therefore deserves a more in-depth look.
All authentic Venetian jewelry is made on the Murano Island which is located in the Venetian lagoon. All of the glassmakers were moved to this island in 1291 from Venice as a result of dangerous fires jeopardizing the largely wooden structures of Venice. These days, all the major Venetian glass companies are still based on this small island, and they keep up the ancient glassmaking traditions. So popular is their centuries-old art, that they export beautiful Murano glass jewelry world-wide.
Among various jewelry types, artistic jewelry made out of Murano glass beads is in high demand due to its unique look, gorgeous colors, and very high quality. In order to make these amazing glass beads, a master glassmaker needs to work with a variety of materials and compounds at exactly the right temperatures using the tools that hardly changed in the past 700 years. One of the biggest things that is unique about Venetian jewelry is the unbelievable variety of colors and hues to choose from.
The subtleties of the shades and shapes of Venetian glass jewelry are explained by the hand-made nature of it and by the unparalleled skill of Murano artisans. The unique skill set and experience of the best Murano artisans is assured by their membership in Consortium Promovetro – the only Venetian Glass industry organization that promotes authenticity of Murano glass against the multitude of counterfeits and fakes available in the world today. Quoting from the Consortium’s website, “it represents over 70 craft and industrial businesses on Murano and in Venice. Since its foundation, Promovetro has worked hard to promote the image of Murano\’s artistic glass with the declared intent of conserving, safeguarding and defending Murano\’s thousand year old art of glass, and at the same time to promote, develop and assist in properly marketing this important cultural heritage in the world.”
While it is not always easy to place a price tag on a piece of Venetian glass jewelry, some aspects to be guided by are the complexity of the technique used and the color scheme, the name and reputation of the producer, and, of course, the design. Due to a rising popularity of Venetian glass, many online retailers sell counterfeit Murano glass, often made in China or other Asian countries, and offer up deep discounts as a result. For this reason, these days one needs to be extra vigilant before deciding to buy a piece of Venetian jewelry. When buying on a website, always deal only with those companies who import from the members of Promovetro consortium, offer good high-resolution detailed pictures of products, and enclose certificates of authenticity. The authentic Murano glass jewelry made in Murano by accredited artisans ranges in price anywhere from ten-twenty U.S. dollars for a simple ring or a small pendant all the way up to hundreds of dollars for a complex designer piece.
Another great aspect of Venetian glass jewelry is its versatility and timeless look, which allow it to look great with pretty much any clothing style. Unique and stylish, this jewelry will accentuate and dress up anything from casual clothes like sweaters, blouses, turtlenecks, and jeans to classic business suites, to cocktail dresses and evening gowns. So whether you are trying to accentuate your wardrobe, instantly add style to your look, or just wear a beautiful one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry, Venetian glass with its centuries of history and quality craftsmanship will make a fantastic addition to your jewelry collection.
The variety of jewelry available on the market today is mind-boggling, and it is hard to make a choice among so many different options. One of the most beautiful yet affordable types of jewelry is Venetian glass jewelry also dubbed Murano glass jewelry. Not only is this jewelry beautiful, unique, and stylish, but it is made by hand only in Murano, Italy based on the ancient traditions, and therefore deserves a more in-depth look.
All authentic Venetian jewelry is made on the Murano Island which is located in the Venetian lagoon. All of the glassmakers were moved to this island in 1291 from Venice as a result of dangerous fires jeopardizing the largely wooden structures of Venice. These days, all the major Venetian glass companies are still based on this small island, and they keep up the ancient glassmaking traditions. So popular is their centuries-old art, that they export beautiful Murano glass jewelry world-wide.
Among various jewelry types, artistic jewelry made out of Murano glass beads is in high demand due to its unique look, gorgeous colors, and very high quality. In order to make these amazing glass beads, a master glassmaker needs to work with a variety of materials and compounds at exactly the right temperatures using the tools that hardly changed in the past 700 years. One of the biggest things that is unique about Venetian jewelry is the unbelievable variety of colors and hues to choose from.
The subtleties of the shades and shapes of Venetian glass jewelry are explained by the hand-made nature of it and by the unparalleled skill of Murano artisans. The unique skill set and experience of the best Murano artisans is assured by their membership in Consortium Promovetro – the only Venetian Glass industry organization that promotes authenticity of Murano glass against the multitude of counterfeits and fakes available in the world today. Quoting from the Consortium’s website, “it represents over 70 craft and industrial businesses on Murano and in Venice. Since its foundation, Promovetro has worked hard to promote the image of Murano\’s artistic glass with the declared intent of conserving, safeguarding and defending Murano\’s thousand year old art of glass, and at the same time to promote, develop and assist in properly marketing this important cultural heritage in the world.”
While it is not always easy to place a price tag on a piece of Venetian glass jewelry, some aspects to be guided by are the complexity of the technique used and the color scheme, the name and reputation of the producer, and, of course, the design. Due to a rising popularity of Venetian glass, many online retailers sell counterfeit Murano glass, often made in China or other Asian countries, and offer up deep discounts as a result. For this reason, these days one needs to be extra vigilant before deciding to buy a piece of Venetian jewelry. When buying on a website, always deal only with those companies who import from the members of Promovetro consortium, offer good high-resolution detailed pictures of products, and enclose certificates of authenticity. The authentic Murano glass jewelry made in Murano by accredited artisans ranges in price anywhere from ten-twenty U.S. dollars for a simple ring or a small pendant all the way up to hundreds of dollars for a complex designer piece.
Another great aspect of Venetian glass jewelry is its versatility and timeless look, which allow it to look great with pretty much any clothing style. Unique and stylish, this jewelry will accentuate and dress up anything from casual clothes like sweaters, blouses, turtlenecks, and jeans to classic business suites, to cocktail dresses and evening gowns. So whether you are trying to accentuate your wardrobe, instantly add style to your look, or just wear a beautiful one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry, Venetian glass with its centuries of history and quality craftsmanship will make a fantastic addition to your jewelry collection.