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Murano glass is highly appreciated and valued all over the world for its exquisite aesthetic qualities, delicacy and elegance, as well as for its fascinating history and the great level of artistry behind it. In fact, Murano glassmaking has grown into a genuine cult over the centuries, and many collectors of Murano glassware acknowledge and cherish the dedication, passion and talent needed to transform a piece of Murano glass into a unique work of art. The techniques employed by Murano artisans in producing glassware draw in thousands of visitors curious to see the magic happen right before their eyes, and even manage to intrigue and attract the attention of experienced glassmakers in different corners of the world looking to learn new things and expand the horizons of their craftsmanship. The plethora of glass items produced in Murano artisans’ workshops hints to the diversity and elaborateness of the techniques employed here. Thanks to artisans’ mastery of the glass and the innovative technology that allows working it into any shape and model imaginable, nowadays the range of Murano glassware encompasses things like jewelry, household items, decorative vases, statuettes, and various sized figurines. Among the items brought into form here in Murano, jewelry accessories such as Murano glass bracelets, beads, pendants, rings and earrings have become a trademark for the small Italian island. Regardless of the piece that needs to be molded, Murano glassmaking magic always begins with preparing the right “potion”, which mainly consists of silica and melting materials called flux. The latter ingredients ensure gradual cooling for the glass and delay its solidification process, winning more time for the artisan to shape the glass bundles into highly detailed pieces. Depending on the items created, glassmakers selectively add sodium to render the glass opaque or nitrate and arsenic to treat the material and avoid the formation of air bubbles during glassblowing, which could compromise the quality of the piece. Except for the items made of clear glass, all other objects are tinted when in raw form using various pigments, which allow the obtaining of enticing colors such as Aquamarine and Cobalt, the two most prevalent tones of blue seen in today’s range of Murano glass bracelets, beads and other jewelry items. Although the arsenal of glassmaking instruments is vast, including different types of tongs, clippers and pliers, the basic tools used are the blowpipe and iron rod on which the glass is mounted and introduced into the furnace for melting. While the blowpipe serves for creating glass items that are hollow on the inside, the iron rod enables the working of solid objects. Depending on the case, Murano glass bracelets can undergo multiple trips into the furnace and a combination of shaping processes. Before the artisans can begin polishing and giving the finishing touches to the glass items created, a lengthy process of cooling called annealing is necessary, to ensure the integrity and longevity of glass. As soon as the Murano glass items reach room temperature and are stable enough to allow manipulation, it is time for master artisans to begin decorating each individual item using fine chisels and other specialized tools designed for working the glass in solid state.
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Murano, glass, bracelet,
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