First, understanding what Lampwork is, will open a whole new dimension of gorgeous unique artisan jewelry, not only in earrings, but bracelets, necklaces, pendants, etc and give you a better understanding of what's out there to look for when searching for those unique artisan pieces that you'll just fall in love with.

 
Lampwork is the art of making glass objects, primarily beads (for the purposes of this guide), using an oxygen & propane fueled torch flame at extremely high temperature to melt rods of colored glass and wind them around a coated steel rod. Using layers, colors, techniques and shapes as varied as the artisans themselves, the result is a colorful unique art form, that in turn can be made into stunning jewelry and decorative items.

When choosing Lampwork jewelry, personality plays a big part in the colors, shape and patterns you might choose for yourself or someone else as a gift. Some people like refined and tasteful, some enjoy bold and noticeable and some people just plain love outrageous attention getters. There is something for everyone in this unique form of art jewelry.

 
When buying earrings or other Lampwork jewelry, look for the following.

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  A reputable seller (self representing artists are wonderful to buy from), with good feedback and a friendly informative demeanor before you even buy. This makes it much easier to ask questions, enquire about alterations, matching pieces, exclusivity and future custom work. As artists we take a great deal of personal pride in what we do and we want people to enjoy the art we have created. So you'll find these sellers easy to work with, should you have special needs other than just buying these beautiful pieces to enjoy, as is.
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  Look for a seller who uses high quality materials. Lampwork glass is very hardy (when properly annealed), so it will last a long time. Plated or base metals are not usually a good idea for the longevity of your art pieces and can have allergy, discoloration and wear problems. Precious Metals, such as Sterling Silver, Solid Gold, Platinum or Vermeil (solid gold layered over sterling silver) are usually best for the construction, decoration and application of Lampwork Art Jewelry and this includes the ear wires.
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  Other high quality materials that make a noticeable difference in the look and quality of your jewelry, are things like the crystals with Swarovski being the undisputed best in the world for cut lead crystals in a myriad of colors. Nothing comes close to their cut, colors, facet glitter, shapes and clarity. After that, Czech fire polished, Celestial 48 facet and many vintage European crystals or beads are wonderful too and provide a different look and experience to Swarovski's or in combination with them. Beware the cheap plastic or poorly finished glass and resin beads, which are not technically crystals at all... you get what you pay for with those and the quality is not even close to these other wonderful embellishments and will detract from the overall look of your art pieces. Once you see them side by side, you'll know the difference right away.
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  Construction. Very important, because a beautiful piece of art to wear is not much use to you if it falls apart. Wire wrapped finishing is best, because it’s practically impossible to deconstruct a wire wrapped piece without actually cutting it. Look for good photo’s when buying online, that show the details and construction. It’s fairly easy to spot flimsy or poorly made items then.
   
   

  

  
  

Thank you for reading
 Chez Design