Login

0 Items ($0.00)

Get EXCLUSIVE Sale Updates + 15% off your first order




LET'S SOCIALIZE

GET FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS $50 or MORE (US ONLY)

Light Alexandrite Venetian glass earrings, Flat Squares

These earrings feature Alexandrite colored venetian glass (aka Murano glass). The glass beads are 11x5mm flat squares. They are on light weight sterling silver earwires and measure about 1 inch in length. They have 14K white gold lining inside which is one of the signature styles of venetian glass with a clear coat of glass on top, giving these earrings an enchanting "glow". This particular bead, when in different light, gives off a very subtle hue of light light lavender (Alexandrite) and then in different light, gives another hues of a very very light "Ice" color.The glass beads are first crafted by hand by master craftsmans in Italy, then I take the bead and transform it into wearable delights. No two are alike. Yours will be near identical to the image shown.

History of Venetian (Murano) Glass : In the year 1291, the city of Venice designated the island of Murano for production of luxury glass. The island was an ideal locale for two main reasons; first, if a fire were to break out, it would be secluded to the island only; second, the secrecy of their glass trade was able to be closely monitored. By the 14th century, Murano's glassmakers were soon the island’s most prominent citizens. Some of the perks were enjoying immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state and daughters of a glassmaker were married into some of Venice’s most affluent families. One downside of the being a Glassmaker was you were not allowed to leave the Republic and if they did, there were never allowed to return to the trade.

How Venetian Glass is made : All beads from Venice are made using the centuries-old process of hand forming a single glass bead on a copper wire and then dissolving the wire out of the bead using nitric acid. This technique leaves the bead hole crystal clean all the way through. When white gold comes in contact with the nitric acid, from time to time, it turns the area around the bead hole a “bronzy” copper color. Each batch of beads will vary, no two will ever be alike. Many "imitation" Venetian beads are mass produced (in places like China and India) with several beads formed on a single steel mandrel that has been coated with a liquid releasing agent. When the beads are later slid off the mandrel, the hole is coated with white powder remnants of the releasing agent. This is a sure fire way to tell the beads are not authentic Venetian beads.