Beads have been made since they first appeared over 40,000 years ago, and have spread worldwide since times of migration with the 'discovery' of new continents. Bead making has been a highly valued skill throughout the world from earliest times. Techniques invented by the Egyptians and Romans are still in use today and many skills have been shrouded in secrecy for centuries. Then what is the process of bead making?
Step 1: Hand-made Beads
During the early times, beads were made from substances used for other purposes: bones from hunted animals and offcuts of stone tools. The rough carving and flaking techniques derived from making other implements. Today many beads are handmade, from sea shells cut and polished on Pacific beaches, to porcelain beads designed specially for the Europeans fashion market.
Step 2: Piercing Beads
A bead is pierced to make the hole after it’s shaped. Hand-wound glass beads are constructed around a metal wire which leaves a hole when removed, as shown in the millefiori beads. The hole in drawn and blown glass beads is an air bubble, and modern metal, stone, plastic and wood beads are pierced from one side with an electric or laser drill.
Step 3: Mass Production
Because of cheap materials such as glass, everyone is allowed to wear beads. The Renaissance saw a great increase in mass production for export and today thousands of wooden beads are turned on lathes each hour. In 1895, Daniel Swarovski invented an automatic process for cutting quantities of quality glass beads, which even today is so guarded that workers do not have access to different parts of the factory.
Step 4: Finishing
Once shaped most beads are tumbled in a revolving cask to remove the moulded seam and smooth or add polish. Substances added to the cask produce different effects: garnet paper of glasspaper polishes wood, leather gives a soft shine to plastic. The concentric layers of colored glass in multi-tone beads are rubbed away in different quantities during tumbling to give a two or three tone effect. Finishes, from frosting to lustring to a coating of iridescence, enhance plain beads and are often added during tumbling.
Step 5: Color
Color is either part of the bead’s material (natural or artificial) or is added after the bead has been made. Oxides are mixed into glass and into the glazes applied to ceramic beads. The grain, coloring and origin of wood is often so disguised by varnishing or staining that even an expert cannot distinguish it. Precious stone are dyed or heat treated to enhance the color.
(The above beads pictures are offered by Daning Jewelry, for more information please click here ) |