Swarovski (Austrian) Crystal is considered by many people to be the finest quality, full-lead crystal made today.  It contains a minimum of 32%PbO, making the crystal optically very pure.  The crystal is then faceted with tremendous precision, creating beautiful prisms.  Brilliant colors and/or coatings are added to these crystals to create pendants, stones, and beads of dazzling beauty and tremendous variety of shapes and sizes.  Swarovski Crystal is unmatched in quality and distinction.

It is believed that glassmaking in Murano originated in 9th century Rome, with significant Asian and Muslim influences, as Venice was a major trading port. Murano’s reputation as a center for glassmaking was born when the Venetian Republic, fearing fire and destruction of the city’s mostly wooden buildings, ordered glassmakers to move their foundries to Murano in 1291. Murano glass is still interwoven with Venetian glass. I love the beauty that comes from the process of adding different compounds to the glass making such vibrant colors, for instance Gold is added to make a glorious Red