This is a set of red glass beads and pendant for your matching earring/necklace designs. The earring beads (approx. 1 mm. long) consist of clear red glass set in gold oval frames. My understanding is that these are vintage, from the 1950's. The pendant (approx. 1" long and 1 mm. wide) is of blown glass with gold and other elements, with a generous horizontal hole (through the red section), ready for stringing. This is not vintage, but it is beautifully handcrafted, and it goes so nicely with these beads that we are offering it as a set for your jewelry designs.
For centuries, Venice, Italy has been known for making the highest quality glass beads in the world. There are many types, including lampwork, silver-foiled or gold-foiled, chevrons, millefiori, and dichronic beads. For the last 200 years the rest of the world has been emulating these traditional Italian techniques. I chose one sample to feature here from Shelly Thelen's shop on Etsy, as I was entranced the moment I saw them. These are "Venetian Murano Glass Lampwork Beads" -- lovely! What's nice about beads like this is that you only need two to create an incredible set of earrings, and a single one for a necklace. At home I have a necklace that is so lovely and simple -- just three gorgeous gold beads hanging from a gold chain. And such creations don't have to cost an arm and a leg, especially if you make it yourself. Contact us for more information about advice on how to do this, unless you want to stroll into a high-end jewelry store and slap down $3,000 or so. Also be sure to peruse a sampling of our focal and signature beads at The Bead Collection and/or our Etsy Shop: http://tinyurl.com/atcs2p3