Millefiori Jewelry are made from small glass beads. These unique beads have patterns and colors found nowhere else.
The murrina are arranged by hand in a geometric pattern and melted together to form beautiful patterns in glass.
These beads are known as murrina. They are made by slicing a thin rod of glass known as a cane into very small pieces.
The glass cane is a complex construction itself. As with all hot blown glass, it begins with a blob of hot glass on the marver.
The blob is shaped with into a more complex shape like a star with a mold. This shape will remain throughout all the subsequent steps.
About 4-5 layers of glass, with various shapes and colors, are added to this blob of hot glass.
The glass blob is carefully stretched into cylinder a several inches across that is drawn down to a small tip. The cane will be pulled from this tip.
Very few artisans have the skill to quickly stretch the glass into a thin rod, or “cane” that is just a few millimeters across!
After the cane is slowly cooled to room temperature it is cut into small slices – the murrina.
The murrina are carefully placed into round forms to form intricate patterns. They heated and melted together to make beautiful millefiori glass!
Once fused together the milleifori glass is used to make pendants, earrings and more!
