My aim in this window, is to explain some of the beads, crystals and silver that I use in my jewellery.

What is Lampworking?

Lampwork is a glass forming technique that uses the process of melting glass rods over an open flame.

Once the glass is molten, the Lampwork artist wraps it around a metal rod called a Mandrel, which has had a layer of a clay based solution around it, in what is known as 'core forming'. Then with the help of various tools and techniques they further shape and design the glass; often adding other colours of glass to create elaborate decorations.  For strengthening the beads are then placed in a kiln for "annealing". 

Swarovski Crystals and Pearls

"Crystal - A raw material, which even the most ancient cultures ascribed beneficial, valuable, indeed miraculous properties."

Daniel Swarovski, built his company in the Tyrolean Alps, because it afforded a limitless and pure source of waterpower. It offered the basis for a growing industry with an environmentally friendly atmosphere.

He was born in 1862 in Bohemia where crystal defined life in his parents' house. Bohemia, at that time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was one of the most important manufacturing centres for glass and crystal. Crystal was also cut in his father's small factory. 

In 1892, he was ready to register a patent: a machine which,  made it possible to cut crystal to perfection.

Daniel Swarovski together with his brother-in-law Franz Weis and with Armand Kosmann founded the company in 1895.

The company have developed many different colours and cuts since their founding.

The company have also developed a "pearl", these are beautiful in colour, and detail.

Fresh Water Pearls

Fresh water pearls are a kind of pearl that comes from freshwater mussels.   They are produced in Japan, China and the United States, and the British Isles. Freshwater pearls come in various pastel shades of white, black, pink, peach, lavender, plum, purple, and tangerine, depending on the type of mussel. A single mussel can produce up to 50 pearls.

While saltwater pearl-bearing oysters are nucleated in a small organ known as the gonad, freshwater mussels are nucleated in the actual mantle tissue. Each side of this bivalve can handle up to 25 nucleations at one time.

Silver

Sterling Silver - is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper.

Bali Silver - is sterling silver, made into beads, findings, etc by silversmiths in Bali, Indonesia and the surrounding area.

Thai Karen Hill Tribes Silver - For centuries much of the population of northern Thailand has been composed of ethnic groups commonly known as 'hill tribes'. The largest of these is the Karen hill tribe, many of whom still live in the more remote mountainous areas due west of Chiang Mai. They are subsistence farmers who live at peace with nature and the forests. 

As part of a royal project, silver experts were dispatched to impart their knowledge of jewellery to the farmers of the Karen Hill Tribe. The first generation of Karen silversmiths was taught to carefully handcraft each design from scratch, using high-content silver (usually 97 + %).  This knowledge has been handed down through the generations, and produces beautifully detailed silver items.

Vermeil

Vermeil is gold-plated silver.  It comes in the variety of gold finishes.  I prefer rose gold, as it gives a softer colour, and complements my designs better.