Murano glass has been created by the artisans on the island of Murano in the Venetian Lagoon for over five centuries. Characterized by the exquisite shapes, rich colors, and beautiful patterns, it is often viewed as a great artistic alternative to precious and semi-precious stones in accessorizing oneself and one’s home. In fact, even as far back as centuries ago, Murano glass masters learned to create amazing glass imitations of various beautiful and rare stones and minerals such as amethyst, amber, topaz, malachite, which were awe-inspiring and very popular among both Venetian and foreign nobility and merchants. However, Murano glass is famous for a lot more reasons than its fitness for precious stone imitations.
Over the years Murano glassmaking evolved into an art where Venetian artisans had no equals due to their talent not only as glassblowers but also as tireless researchers and inventors of new glassmaking techniques. Working with basic glass furnaces and primitive instruments, Murano artisans discovered methods of creating a wide range of glass types from clear glass (Cristallo) to Calcedonio (imitation of Chalcedony mineral) to Lattimo (milky-white glass) with decorations such as enamel, filigree, engraving, crackled appearance (Vetro Ghiacco) and many more ingenious ways of making glass worthy of royal palaces and the most refined clientele. Most importantly, Venetian glass creations were never colored or decorated after they were made. All of the coloring, decorating and other work on the glass always occurred during the glass-making process while the glass was hot or when it was cooling down before going back to the furnace for further work. This made Murano glass extremely durable and long-lasting with colors that would never fade and patterns that would not change over time, and thus it was one of the most sought-after components of interior décor and jewelry for the wealthy and the influential elite of all times.
It is precisely this quality of Venetian glass that makes it a perfect material for earrings. Today Murano glass earrings are a fashionable and sought-after accessory featured in many magazines, websites and fashion shows. The wide variety of styles, colors, and shapes makes Murano glass earrings a desired part of the overall look for any woman, as they help bring out the woman’s eye color, skin tone, and bolster her sense of uniqueness. One of the most popular and unique Murano earring designs is Millefiori (a thousand flowers in Italian), which has become a trademark of Murano glassmaking. Millefiori earrings with their symmetrical patterns of bright flowers are symbolic of the one-of-a-kind nature of Murano glass products and the hard manual work that goes into creating each one. Millefiori earrings work well with a wide variety of outfits and styles, from casual to business to eveningwear, and add romantic Venetian flare to the woman’s appearance.
Other signature Murano earring styles include the use of Avventurina, a sparkling quality that is given to the glass by adding tiny particles of 24K gold to the hot glass mix before it solidifies; gold and silver foil, creating a magical shimmer by using the thinnest sheets of 925 silver or 24K gold underneath the glass; Calcedonio – a complex method of creating opaque glass with uneven patterns of various colors that looks like Chalcedony- a semi-precious stone; and many more unique to Venetian glass-making.
Owning a pair of Murano earrings means owning a piece of art with centuries of history, a piece of the enchanted City on the Water, and a beautiful hand-made creation that no-one else has. With their durable colors and patterns, and the precious metals used in creating them, Venetian glass earrings also make a perfect gift to the important women in your life that is guaranteed to bring them many compliments and lift their mood for years to come.
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