Traditionally, sapphire is a brilliant blue gem ranging from medium to royal blue. The more uniform the color, the higher the quality and thus the more valuable it is. Occasionally, sapphires may display a color other than blue, such as yellow, green, or violet. These are known as a “fancy sapphires.”
What Does It Symbolize?
The rich, royal blue color of many sapphires is commonly thought to symbolize just that – royalty and wealth. Like any gem, sapphire has long been thought to represent a number of other things, including innocence, truth, romantic love, and good health. Ancient Persians believed it was responsible for making the sky blue, and throughout history, it has been used in various religious ceremonies, as a source of protection against bad luck, and to decorate jewelry.
Where Is It Found?
Some of the finest and most valuable sapphire stones come from the South Asian island country of Sri Lanka. The first sapphires found in the United States were discovered in 1865 by miners in Montana.
And, of course, you can find sapphire-inspired treasures here at Uno Alla Volta! Here are a few of our favorite handcrafted pieces featuring this gem, and others inspired by its rich color:
Murano glass is exquisitely beautiful. From jewelry to drinking glasses, there is definitely something for everyone. These handmade treasures are created one at a time. Patterns and colors may vary, and some may or may not contain millefiori accents. The surfaces may appear uneven and they’re also in various shapes. This is what makes glassmaking such a special craft. With hundreds of years of history behind it, explore the history of Murano glass and how it is made.
The History of Murano Glass
The origin of glassmaking goes way back to the times of the Roman Empire when they created molded glass for illumination in their bath houses. As early as the 8th century, the Venetian Islands began to specialize in glassmaking. When a ruling class law was passed to avoid the risk of fire in an overpopulated area, the island of Murano was named as the true and most appropriate glass production area.
DECLINE AND SUCCESS
Murano glass had moments of success and gradual decline. Competition increased for them from the glassmakers of France and Bohemia. Rulers in the 18th century preferred their glassmaking in Bohemia and passed laws, making it expensive to bring raw materials into Murano. As a result, half of the furnaces were shut down. Although, the industry in Murano did not die completely, Antonio Salviati, who practiced law, went to Venice to open a factory to produce traditional Murano glass. However, there was still constant fall and rise over the years. For example, during World War II the industry did not thrive, but as soon as the war was over the glassmakers continued creating their art.
THE SPREAD OF MURANO GLASS TRADITION
Many craftsmen were inspired by the making of Murano glass. The art of glass spread throughout Europe. Wherever there was a demand for glass, productions were created. Many artisans outside from Murano developed an eye for quality in creating beautiful Murano-style glass. Today, all across Italy and the rest of the world, these workshops use the same techniques and materials as a Murano workshop with identical skill and artistry.
HOW DO THEY CREATE CAPTIVATING COLORS?
Murano glass products are brightly colored and often infused with metals such as gold and silver leaf or copper crystals. When creating millefiori designs, they layer and slice colorful glass rods which stretch into unique designs. For other creations, glassmakers use a blowpipe with which they masterfully shape layers of color to achieve a richly-colored decorative piece.
What are the techniques?
As the techniques of Murano glassmaking have evolved, Murano glass has become a valuable treasure over the years. These glassmakers use unique, masterful techniques to create these amazing pieces. Both lampworking and hand-blowing create beautiful Murano style pieces, which is an incredibly rewarding experience to these artisans.
LAMPWORKING
This technique is also known as torchworking. Artists use high quality glass rods which are melted with a torch and then shaped into beads by cutting it with a steel cutting jack. Once they have the glass bead, it is heated to a temperature of about 950 degree Fahrenheit until the material reaches its stress relief point. The bead is then decorated by etching, polishing, or by other techniques.
Lorena’s mother creates stunning jewelry beads using the technique of lampworking in the video below:
BLOWING
Blowing glass is a challenging technique. This technique is done by using a blowpipe and basic hand tools to meticulously shape molten glass. These glassmakers are able to get unique patterns and shapes by blow piping. After the process is complete, the glass needs to cool until it becomes solid glass. The final touch that may be done to a glass piece is polishing, engraving, and enameling.
Our glass Artisan, Vittorio shows his methods on Murano glassmaking.
ANNEALING
Both techniques use the annealing process, which helps the glass slowly heal until it reaches room temperature. This process prevents the glass from cracking or breaking easily.
As early as the 14th century, Mayan and Aztec Indians sought and gathered Mexican fire opal, calling it “quetzalitzlipyollitli.” Today, this national gemstone of Mexico is also referred to as fire opal, sun opal, cherry opal, and the Spanish word for sunflower – girasol. The Mayans and Aztecs used this gem in mosaics and rituals, while today it decorates beautiful pieces of jewelry. After the passing of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, knowledge and appreciation for fire opal disappeared. It wasn’t until the early 1800’s when an emergence of mining for fire opal and a renewed appreciation for its beauty appeared.
Mexican Fire Opal is formed when silica and water deposits are left in the voids left behind by volcanic gas bubbles and rock fractures. The silica does not crystallize, but rather solidifies, forming a gel that is filled with microscopic water bubbles. When light makes contact with this gem, it passes through the microscopic water bubbles and creates a spectrum of color – essentially creating a rainbow. The most significant deposits of fire opal are found near the extinct volcanoes in Queretaro and Jalisco, Mexico.
To create our Mexican fire opal jewelry, artisans produce opal resin by crushing natural Mexican fire opal, and then mixing it with a specially developed resin. This allows for the mineral to be cut, shaped, and set into the jewelry.
Mexican Fire Opal has a low tolerance to heat and is easily broken by sharp objects. If it is left in direct sunlight, or hot enclosed spaces, it can crack. Maintaining the water content of the opal is extremely important to the durability of the stone. Over time, opal can become dehydrated and brittle. To avoid dehydration, it should be stored away from high temperatures and frequently rubbed with light oil.
Check out some of our favorite Mexican fire opal designs for autumn:
Artisan Moments 