PERSONALLY SELECTED BEADS

Many of the wonderfully detailed glass beads that I use in my necklaces are hand-made lampwork. This is the very old technique of using a flame (previously from a lamp) to melt the glass. The craftsmen turn the glass on a mandrel, heating it in the flame and letting the molten glass wind round. They then add a variety of colours of glass and use their tools to make designs of swirls, insert millefiori and other complex finishes. Every hand-made bead is unique for the very reason that it is hand-crafted, with each one varying in size, colour and design.  

Many of these beads are brought by me personally from Rome where I source very unusual beads that I have not seen elsewhere, as well as the very popular Murano glass beads, with the silver or gold foil finish.

The following pages will show you a selection of just a few of the different coloured beads that I use in my designer jewellery, and you may choose any bead(s) to be incorporated into the jewellery of your choice, so that your creation will be unique to you.