Murano Glass- An Ancient Art Form Still Popular Today

There are reasons why Murano glass is so versatile. The first is the number of different styles available. They range from the floral patterned Millefiori (or thousand flowers) glass to abstract Ghiaccio (or ice) glass. Some styles of glass also use metal fragments to give the pieces a sparkly accent that is incredibly popular in today’s market.

Although Venice was the original home of glassblowing in Italy, it was moved to Murano in 1291 and glassblowers have been converging on the area to learn the tricks and techniques that produce high quality items on such a consistent basis. Glass jewelry is only one of the items which are made there. Venetian glass from Murano is also made into many household items such as paperweights, dishes, stemware and other ornamental items.

If you want to order a piece of glass jewelry, you should think about the style of glass you like and the colors you want to incorporate. Some of the basic types of glass include: Avventurina, which uses particles of metal in order to make it shimmer; Chalcedony, which uses veins of color running through a dark colored glass to make it look like stone; Millefiori, which is made of flower-shaped canes of glass sliced into portions which make up the pattern on the glass and Filigrana which uses thin glass canes that run throughout the piece of glass.

You should also think about the color of the piece you want. The good thing about glass jewelry made from Murano glass is that it is available in a wide range of colors. You can find pieces that use neutral colors for a more understated look and pieces which use Murano signature rich coloring to make a bolder fashion statement.

You can find jewelry which incorporates large pieces of glass as well as smaller beads. Depending on the look you want, you may be interested in pieces which use a combination of different sizes and shapes of beads. You should also remember that since each piece of glass is handmade, there will be variations and it can be difficult to get two pieces which look exactly alike.

Caring for your glass pieces is not difficult, but you do want to take good care of them. When well cared for, these pieces will serve you for many years and retain their colors, sparkle, shine and beauty. With necklaces and pendants, you want to periodically check the chain or cord and especially the closure parts, to make sure they are in good condition. This is important to prevent the situations in which your glass pendant or necklace will fall and break. Periodically wipe your glass necklaces, pendants, earrings, rings, and other Murano glass wares with a soft velvet cloth to ensure that they continues to reflect light in an optimal way. You can wash them in warm water with mild soaps to return them their original sparkle.  Never use any chemical cleaners to wash your Murano jewelry.

With Murano rings and bracelets, you need to be careful not to break them while doing manual work. If you plan on gardening, washing dishes, cleaning, or doing other similar work, remove your glass rings and bracelets to avoid getting them soiled, or, even worse, cracked. Unfortunately, Murano glass jewelry cannot be repaired once it is broken, so it is important to take good care of it in order to make it last a long time.

About the Author

Hand-crafted Murano Glass Jewelry and Accessories imported directly from Venice, Italy. We offer Murano Glass pendants, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, art glass, chandeliers and other venetian glass creations.

What Makes Murano Glass Bracelets the Perfect Gift?

Every day is a perfect day to make a gift. Whether we celebrate the birthday of someone dear to us or an important event or we just want to give a gift because it is a good day for making that special someone happy, we often have the same question in mind: what would be a good gift to give? Then, all sort of questions come to mind: what would that person really like, is that gift meaningful, will she like the gift I plan to give and so on? These questions burden us each time we are about to give a gift. And now, with the holidays drawing near, finding a beautiful gift for that special someone becomes all the more important. Fortunately, all of these questions have answers and believe it or not, there is a single gift that represents the answer to all the above questions: a murano glass bead bracelet.

Indeed, it might seem odd that a good gift to give is jewelry. This is actually the first choice for so many people who are not sure what particular gift would be most appropriate. They buy a nice piece of jewelry and they get rid of all the problems that come with making a good gift. However, you should stop and think for a second. Jewelry has always been and will always be appreciated and when the piece of jewelry that you buy is truly extraordinary, what other gift would be as good? A murano glass bracelet is not just a piece of jewelry, it is a work of art, it has a lot of history behind it and it is the perfect means to show a person how much you appreciate and adore her.

Murano glass bracelets are the greatest gift to give because of their unique qualities. To have a better understanding of why these pieces of jewelry are the ultimate gift, let us think about the difference between a nice gift and an extraordinary one. The message we send when we make a gift is the first thing that we should consider. A murano glass bead bracelet is incredibly colorful and it can have hundreds of different shapes. So whether you are a joyful, passionate person or a shyer one, you can receive a piece of jewelry that can go perfectly together with your character. The different shapes and patterns that murano glass bracelets have can also compliment your character, your outfit and most importantly your personality. 

Another aspect that we should consider when we want to make a perfect gift is the history behind that gift. murano glass bracelets have been manufactured since 1292, so behind every piece of Murano jewelry there are more than seven hundred years of experience. Moreover, the unique method of manufacturing these types of jewels make them special and appropriate for being one of the greatest gifts that one can make. So, no matter the occasion, if you make a gift that is that special, the obvious message behind it is that the recipient is special.

Quality is another big factor that must be taken into consideration when it comes to making the greatest gift. murano glass bracelets are superior in quality. The many years of experience behind manufacturing Murano glasses, the special method of making them are a guarantee that by choosing this gift, you will be choosing quality, elegance and beauty.

A murano glass bead bracelet represents a great gift because it embodies all the right aspects that make a gift the ultimate one. The different styles, colors, shapes, patterns and messages behind murano glass bracelets will never cease to amaze the people who receive and wear them.

About the Author

For more resources about murano glass bracelets or about murano glass bead bracelet, please review these pages.

Viking Age Glass Bead Making

Gold Mining: How Do We Get Gold Out of the Ground

The precious metal of gold has fascinated humans for thousands of years. But how do we actually get it out of the ground? Let’s take a look at the most common ways to mine gold.

There are two main gold mining methods, one is called “placer” and the other is “vein” mining. And another type of mining is when gold is collected as a by-product in the mining of other metals.

Placer Mining

Placer mining is practiced when the metal is found in unconsolidated deposits of sand and gravel from which the gold can be easily separated because of its high density. The sand and gravel suspended in moving water. Much heavier metal sinks to bottom and is separated by hand.

The simplest method of placer mining is panning. Here the miner swirls the mixture in a pan rapidly enough to carry the water and most of the gravel and sand over the edge while the gold remains on bottom. This was the classic method used by the Forty-Niners during the California gold rush of 1849 and has been immortalized in story, art, and song.

A more efficient form of placer mining uses a sluice box, a U-shaped trough with a gentle slope and transverse bars firmly attached to the trough bottom.

The bars — extending from side to side — catch the heaviest particles and prevent them from washing down the slope.

Sand and gravel are placed in the high end, the gate to a water supply is opened, and the lighter material is washed through the sluice box and out the lower end. The materials are caught behind the bars and are gleaned to recover gold.

Another variation of placer mining is called hydraulic mining. A very strong stream of water is directed at natural sand and gravel banks washing away the lighter materials. The suspended materials treated as if they were in giant sluice box.

Currently the most important placer technique is dredging. A huge shovel of several cubic meters capacity lifts the unconsolidated sand and gravel from soil and mud and the placer process starts.

Vein Mining

Vein, or lode mining is the most important of gold recovery methods. Each ounce of gold recovered requires the processing of about 100,000 ounces of ore. Much gold is deposited in rock veins and this method accounts for more than half world’s total gold production. Gold in veins may be of microscopic particle size, in nuggets or sheets, or in gold compounds. The ore requires extensive extraction and refining.

One-third of all gold is produced as a by-product of copper, lead, and zinc production. Copper must be electrolytically refined to raise its purity from 99% to the more than 99.99% that is required for many industrial purposes.

In the refining process an anode of impure copper is electrolyzed in a bath in which the cathode is a very thin sheet of highly refined copper. This process

creates anode sludge which contains gold in quantities sufficient to make its recovery profitable. One-third of all gold is obtained from such by-products.

Silver and platinum are also recovered from the copper anode sludge in quantities large enough to more than pay for the total refining process.

Extraction, Refining and Uses of Gold

Ore from the gold mine is first crushed in rod or ball mills. This process reduces the ore to a powdery substance. The gold is then extracted by amalgamation with mercury or by placer procedures. Approx. 70% is recovered at this point.

The remainder is then dissolved in dilute solutions of sodium cyanide or calcium cyanide. The addition of metallic zinc to these solutions causes metallic gold to precipitate. This precipitate is refined by smelting and the purification is completed by electrolysis. The sludge produced in this process will also contain commercial quantities of silver, platinum, osmium, and other rare-earth metals.

Gold is one of the first two or three metals, along with copper and silver that was used by humans in these metals’ elemental states. Because of its poor chemical reactivity it was found uncombined and required no knowledge of refining. Gold was used in decorative arts before 9000 BC. And civilizations prized gold for its beauty.

A principal use of gold today is as a currency reserve. For centuries gold was used directly as currency along with silver. During the 19th century, gold assumed the role as the sole basis of the currencies of most nations. Paper money was directly convertible into gold.

World War I, however, disrupted the “gold-standard” system. The original gold standard was gradually abandoned. The United States stopped minting gold coinage in 1934 and the dollar eventually emerged as the principal unit of international monetary transactions.

Since the 1970s, gold has been bought and sold on the world market, with widely fluctuating prices. Today gold reserves maintain only a very indirect relationship with currency values. However, as gold has declined as a currency reserve, its use in industrial processes has risen. On top of this, its beauty and workability continue to give gold an important role in the world’s jewelry industry.

About the Author

Lewis Jewelers is proud to carry the full line of
Pandora Jewelry
. Pandora bracelets, Pandora charms and Pandora beads are only a part of the collection. For more information, Lewis Jewelers, 2000 West Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48103, 877-88-LEWIS or visit the website.