| Murano glass jewelry, as the name implies, is | | | | When glass becomes fluid, at a temperature of |
| made from original Murano glass. Murano | | | | about 800F, the glass worker uses |
| glass comes from Murano, which was the | | | | copper rods, now commonly copper mandrels, to |
| glasswork capital of the world in the 13th | | | | scoop a small portion of the molten cane. At |
| Century. Glass working technologies such as | | | | this temperature, there are times when embers |
| crystalline glass, milleflori, enameled | | | | of glass pop which can result in burns. |
| glass, multi-colored glass, smoke glass, and | | | | Protective gear such as rubber gloves and |
| milk gas all came from Murano. | | | | glass shields are used to make the work |
| | | | safer. When a drop of glass is already stuck |
| Murano glass beads, which are more commonly | | | | on the copper rod, it is still heated in the |
| known as Venetian beads, are made from Murano | | | | lamp and shaped using one of many shaping |
| glass canes. These glass canes are made of | | | | tools. |
| 70% silica or sand. The rest of them are | | | | |
| made of soda and lime, and some additives for | | | | Once the shape is final, other decorations |
| lowering the melting point, extending its | | | | such as gold strips, silver strips, etc may |
| molten state, modifying its color, or perhaps | | | | be wrapped around or inside the glass. The |
| prevent the glass from bubbling. The class | | | | glass is hot worked once more, then allowed |
| canes are cut using a tagianti, the glass | | | | to cool in a bed of silica called |
| maker's cutting tool for both glass and the | | | | vermiculite. Once the bead is finished, the |
| copper rod used for holding the glass. The | | | | extension of the mandrel is simply chopped |
| cut portions of cane are then melted using | | | | off, and using nitric acid solution, the |
| open flame lamps or blowtorches. | | | | embedded portion is dissolved. |
| | | | |