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Murano Glass – Italian Artistry You Can Wear
Elegant, sophisticated and extremely beautiful, Murano glass is known the world over but when you typically think of Murano glass, jewelry doesn't usually spring to mind. Vases, plates and art glass perhaps - not jewelry - but that old notion is changing.
Glass has been made in Venice and the neighboring island of Murano Italy for centuries. In the late 13th century most of Venice's buildings were still made of wood and the increasing risk of fire from the glassmaking furnaces lead to them being relocated to Murano. The majority of glassmaking now takes place on Murano, though some work is still done in Venice. The terms Venetian and Murano glass are now used interchangeably to describe the finished glass made in either place.
Historically, Murano glass had been functional rather than decorative, but as the craft evolved, pieces became more artistic and trend setting, leading to new innovations in mirrors, glass blowing, colored glass and now jewelry. The style of glassmaking perfected in Murano is a complex process often involving very high temperatures that are used to convert silica to a molten state. Melting agents called flux are added to the glass to help slow the cooling process for it is during this period that the glass is soft and pliable enough to be shaped by an artisan.
Various materials are often added to the glass at this stage along with a variety of color and texturing agents to produce the different effects that make Murano glass unique. Sodium for example, is added to make surfaces opaque, nitrate and arsenic are added to eliminate bubbles, even precious metals such as sterling silver and 24 karat gold are added to enhance the design and create a dazzling effect.
Over the centuries, many glassmaking techniques have been developed and refined in Murano, including these that have found their way into modern jewelry:
Avventuria - meaning "adventure", which refers to the difficulty of this process, metal flecks or foil embedded in clear glass to reflect light, using copper, silver or gold to create a shimmering, metallic look.
Iridato - exposing glass to gaseous vapors of a metal such as tin or titanium to produce a thin iridescent coating.
Millefiori - meaning "a thousand flowers", one of the oldest techniques still in use, a glass object is encased in a layer of clear or tinted glass and decorated with Murrine.
Murrine - thin sections of glass rods are fused together, blown, and then formed into shapes by the artist, typically floral or geometric patterns.
Pasta Vitrea - a very difficult technique to master as a colored, opaque glass is created by adding colored crystals to molten glass.
Sommerso - meaning "submerged", the sunken glass technique has the piece repeatedly dipped in molten glass, producing a clear outer glass surface with multi-layered colors and hues underneath.
Every pendant, earring or bracelet piece made in Murano for the Du Lyon OroMurano collection is individually crafted by hand using the finest glass and 24K gold. With the increasing popularity of Murano glass jewelry, the glass is now being copied and mass produced in other countries so please make sure that any jewelry you purchase as Murano is an authentic product of Italy and not a copy.
Remember, a piece of Murano jewelry, especially those found in the OroMurano collection, are works of art. Hand crafted and a living testament to an Italian tradition that is centuries old, they are gorgeous, elegant and fashionable. Don't you owe it to yourself to own a piece of history?
For Murano Glass Jewelry:
Special Collections - OroMurano
Glass has been made in Venice and the neighboring island of Murano Italy for centuries. In the late 13th century most of Venice's buildings were still made of wood and the increasing risk of fire from the glassmaking furnaces lead to them being relocated to Murano. The majority of glassmaking now takes place on Murano, though some work is still done in Venice. The terms Venetian and Murano glass are now used interchangeably to describe the finished glass made in either place.
Historically, Murano glass had been functional rather than decorative, but as the craft evolved, pieces became more artistic and trend setting, leading to new innovations in mirrors, glass blowing, colored glass and now jewelry. The style of glassmaking perfected in Murano is a complex process often involving very high temperatures that are used to convert silica to a molten state. Melting agents called flux are added to the glass to help slow the cooling process for it is during this period that the glass is soft and pliable enough to be shaped by an artisan.
Various materials are often added to the glass at this stage along with a variety of color and texturing agents to produce the different effects that make Murano glass unique. Sodium for example, is added to make surfaces opaque, nitrate and arsenic are added to eliminate bubbles, even precious metals such as sterling silver and 24 karat gold are added to enhance the design and create a dazzling effect.
Over the centuries, many glassmaking techniques have been developed and refined in Murano, including these that have found their way into modern jewelry:
Avventuria - meaning "adventure", which refers to the difficulty of this process, metal flecks or foil embedded in clear glass to reflect light, using copper, silver or gold to create a shimmering, metallic look.
Iridato - exposing glass to gaseous vapors of a metal such as tin or titanium to produce a thin iridescent coating.
Millefiori - meaning "a thousand flowers", one of the oldest techniques still in use, a glass object is encased in a layer of clear or tinted glass and decorated with Murrine.
Murrine - thin sections of glass rods are fused together, blown, and then formed into shapes by the artist, typically floral or geometric patterns.
Pasta Vitrea - a very difficult technique to master as a colored, opaque glass is created by adding colored crystals to molten glass.
Sommerso - meaning "submerged", the sunken glass technique has the piece repeatedly dipped in molten glass, producing a clear outer glass surface with multi-layered colors and hues underneath.
Every pendant, earring or bracelet piece made in Murano for the Du Lyon OroMurano collection is individually crafted by hand using the finest glass and 24K gold. With the increasing popularity of Murano glass jewelry, the glass is now being copied and mass produced in other countries so please make sure that any jewelry you purchase as Murano is an authentic product of Italy and not a copy.
Remember, a piece of Murano jewelry, especially those found in the OroMurano collection, are works of art. Hand crafted and a living testament to an Italian tradition that is centuries old, they are gorgeous, elegant and fashionable. Don't you owe it to yourself to own a piece of history?
For Murano Glass Jewelry:
Special Collections - OroMurano
Submitted on: June 16, 2009 @ 8:45am
Tuesday 
