I really love artisan lampwork beads. Really, really, really. I stumbled upon them a little less than a year ago while perusing for jewelry supplies in the pages of Etsy. I was immediately captivated by the intricate, swirling colors and designs created by such talented artisans. So, of course, since I was on a supply hunt, I snapped up a bunch of these delicious beads (see a small selection from my collection in the picture to the left). Most of my collection consists of borosilicate beads. Borosilicate, more commonly called boro beads, are made of Boron, a very hard glass that can also include a variety of metals. Boro glass creates extraordinary bright colors and it appears especially saturated in natural sunlight and less bright indoors. But whether in natural or artificial light, boro beads are fantastically beautiful and talented lampwork artisans bring out their most vibrant shades.
For more about boro beads, visit the Artbead Divine Jewelry blog on 1000 Markets where Mary of Sandcastle Jewels writes a very interesting explanation. For a history of lampworking, visit another blog post on the Artbead Divine Jewelry blog by Sharon of Bijoux Jardin.
