Vintage Rubino 14mm Fiorato Necklace

The Fiorato (flower) beads, that some people call "wedding cake beads", on this necklace are Vintage Fiorato Venetian glass beads and are at least 40 years old.  The Fiorato beads are some of the first beads I ever bought in Venice, Italy. 

On this Fiorato necklace design, I used Vintage Murano glass, that are handmade, translucent, Rubino (Ruby colored) Venetian glass beads.

The assortment of 14-16mm, handmade, lamp worked, round beads were made one-by-one under the flame.    The glass maker starts with a Murano glass cane (or rod) to make the base color, and then adds an Aventurina (copper filings), band around the center of the bead.  Next the glass artisan uses a pink, and a white cane to melt under the flame to make the roses.  Next the "forget me knots" with blue and yellow are added to the bead. 

Each bead is accented with gold, old style, fillagree bead caps, and red, faceted, Swarovski crystals; with a 2 inch, gold filled, link chain and a large, gold filled spring, lobster clasp.  

Necklace length is approximately 17 1/2 inches, adjustable to 19 1/2 inches, with the gold filled link chain, and large, gold filled, lobster style clasp.

At the end of the chain is a small, 10mm, red, Fiorato (flowered) bead.

Please note that these Vintage Fiorato beads are the REAL Venetian beads from Venice, Italy...they are not the copies or the fakes, made in India or China.

I have been in business designing jewelry, importing Murano / Venetian Glass and working with glass artisans, since 1976.  I have visited the old, dusty "back rooms" of many, many of my bead makers in Venice and Murano, Italy.  Because of that, I have thousands of old, Vintage Murano glass and Venetian loose beads, in my stock room, that I am putting into my jewelry designs.