Friday, March 12, 2010

Venetian Glass Jewelry: Unique In Design And Rich In Tradition


The variety of jewelry available on the market today is mind-boggling, and it is hard to make a choice among so many different options. One of the most beautiful yet affordable types of jewelry is Venetian glass jewelry also dubbed Murano glass jewelry. Not only is this jewelry beautiful, unique, and stylish, but it is made by hand only in Murano, Italy based on the ancient traditions, and therefore deserves a more in-depth look.

All authentic Venetian jewelry is made on the Murano Island which is located in the Venetian lagoon. All of the glassmakers were moved to this island in 1291 from Venice as a result of dangerous fires jeopardizing the largely wooden structures of Venice. These days, all the major Venetian glass companies are still based on this small island, and they keep up the ancient glassmaking traditions. So popular is their centuries-old art, that they export beautiful Murano glass jewelry world-wide.

Among various jewelry types, artistic jewelry made out of Murano glass beads is in high demand due to its unique look, gorgeous colors, and very high quality. In order to make these amazing glass beads, a master glassmaker needs to work with a variety of materials and compounds at exactly the right temperatures using the tools that hardly changed in the past 700 years. One of the biggest things that is unique about Venetian jewelry is the unbelievable variety of colors and hues to choose from.

The subtleties of the shades and shapes of Venetian glass jewelry are explained by the hand-made nature of it and by the unparalleled skill of Murano artisans. The unique skill set and experience of the best Murano artisans is assured by their membership in Consortium Promovetro – the only Venetian Glass industry organization that promotes authenticity of Murano glass against the multitude of counterfeits and fakes available in the world today. Quoting from the Consortium’s website, “it represents over 70 craft and industrial businesses on Murano and in Venice. Since its foundation, Promovetro has worked hard to promote the image of Murano\'s artistic glass with the declared intent of conserving, safeguarding and defending Murano\'s thousand year old art of glass, and at the same time to promote, develop and assist in properly marketing this important cultural heritage in the world.”

While it is not always easy to place a price tag on a piece of Venetian glass jewelry, some aspects to be guided by are the complexity of the technique used and the color scheme, the name and reputation of the producer, and, of course, the design. Due to a rising popularity of Venetian glass, many online retailers sell counterfeit Murano glass, often made in China or other Asian countries, and offer up deep discounts as a result. For this reason, these days one needs to be extra vigilant before deciding to buy a piece of Venetian jewelry. When buying on a website, always deal only with those companies who import from the members of Promovetro consortium, offer good high-resolution detailed pictures of products, and enclose certificates of authenticity. The authentic Murano glass jewelry made in Murano by accredited artisans ranges in price anywhere from ten-twenty U.S. dollars for a simple ring or a small pendant all the way up to hundreds of dollars for a complex designer piece.

Another great aspect of Venetian glass jewelry is its versatility and timeless look, which allow it to look great with pretty much any clothing style. Unique and stylish, this jewelry will accentuate and dress up anything from casual clothes like sweaters, blouses, turtlenecks, and jeans to classic business suites, to cocktail dresses and evening gowns. So whether you are trying to accentuate your wardrobe, instantly add style to your look, or just wear a beautiful one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry, Venetian glass with its centuries of history and quality craftsmanship will make a fantastic addition to your jewelry collection.

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