Murano glass is created only on the island of Murano, located within the borders of the city of Venice in Northern Italy.

Murano's special glassblowing process is over a thousand years old, having been re-discovered by the local artisans from the ancient Roman glassware at the end of the first millennium and continuously developed and enhanced upon ever since. This glass is made from silica, soda, lime and potassium melted together in a special furnace at a temperature of 1500°C to reach a liquid state. Very thin layers of real gold or sterling silver are often added to the glass mixture (also known as gold or silver leaf), along with various minerals to give glass its vibrant colors and designs. For example, copper is used for Avventurina mineral-like sparkles, zinc is added for white color, cobalt for blue, manganese for violet, gold for red. The resulting liquid glass mixture is then mouth-blown and/or hand-crafted by master glassmakers in a series of elaborate steps using special techniques such as Millefiori, Sommerso, Reticello, Filligrana, Bullicante, and many others.

This Murano glass necklace and bracelet set in black and white present quite the quandry at first glance. The beads are simply lustrous, with a reflective iridescence that signifies their quality but may confuse people as to their composition. When they ask where you got the set, just tell them, "it's from Venice," and they'll understand the stunning convergence of art and fashion.