GraceBeads.com
Title
Grace Lampwork Beads, High Quality Handmade Glass Beads
Description
Excerpted from the website:
- Welcome to Grace Lampwork Beads!
- We use high quality Italian and German glass to make our lampwork beads. All beads are handmade individually in California. We follow the most restricted quality control policy during the daily bead-making processes. Each bead is annealed overnight in kiln to have better strength and become more durable than regular glass bead. We like high quality products, and want to share the same value with our customers. SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED.
Languages
English
Address
- 1551 McCarthy Blvd, STE 111
- Milpitas, CA 95035 (San Jose Area)
Contact
- Grace Ma
-
- +1 408 806 1788, Fax: +1 866 504 7023
Additional Information
All handmade lampwork glass beads are designed by Grace Ma, who is a self-taught lampworker. Grace started to make beads in Oct 2002. Three months later, she started to sell beads on eBay. In 2004, Grace did her first bead show - The Whole Bead Show in San Francisco. This show opens a door for her. She started to train her own employees to make the beads.
You can find Grace Lampwork beads in most of the major beads show and 50+ stores in United States. Grace lampwork beads follows the most restrict quality control process to make each individual bead. All of the beads are annealed overnight for better strength. You can find over 1000+ different designs with reasonable price.
1. What is lampworking? The term of lampworking started thousand years ago. Artist used oil lamp to melt glass rod, and wind the melt glass on a mandrel(i.e. steel stringer) to make beads. Although the art form has been practiced since ancient times, it became widely practiced in Murano, Italy in the 14th century. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking. Most artists today use torches that burn either propane or natural gas with pure oxygen.
2. What is annealing? Annealing is a process of slowly cooling glass to relieve internal stresses after it was formed. The process may be carried out in a temperature-controlled kiln. Annealing glass is critical to the durability of glass. If glass is not annealed, it will retain many of the thermal stresses caused by quenching and significantly decrease the overall strength of the glass. All of beads made by Grace lampwork Beads are annealed.
3. What is difference between imported lampwork beads and Grace Lampwork beads? The difference between imports and artisan beads is quality. Inexpensive import beads are made of cheap glass. The raw material costs one-thirtieth to one-twentieth of Italian and German glass (ratio is 1:30). Due to the massive production, it’s a lack of quality control for each bead. There is no annealing process applied, which means those beads crack easily. You get what you pay for. If you want to make fine lasting jewelry, artisan beads will be a better choice.
4. How long does it take to make a bead? For the roundel, lentil and pillow shape bead set, it takes about 5-10 minutes to make ONE bead. It depends on the design. It doesn't include the time spending on annealing, cleaning up or other process. The faster you do, the less quality control you have. It's a balance. We don't want to loose the detail and quality by pursuing the quantity.
6. Do you have wholesale discount? Yes. 25% off without minimum request. 35% for $500+ 50% off for $1500+. Wholesale customer need to fax your seller permit or tax ID to 866-504-7023.
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