Among glass-bead-making techniques, lampwork is the most labor intensive and results in 'furnace' glass beads. These stunning miniature works of art began with the artisans of Italy, though the technique is making its way around the world. Named 'lampworked' because the beads were created using an oil lamp, the technique is now often called 'flameworked,' after the natural gas flame used.

Each bead type is made by heating a glass rod and spinning the thread it creates around a metal rod to create the base bead. Other colors can be added on top of the base bead to create an endless variety of translucent beads. Different cultures now alter the process slightly by varying the angle of the flame itself.

For true lampwork beads, you'll often see raw-glass terms such as rod or sheet, soda lime, lead, or borosilicate. Because of the versatility of its medium, glass, lampwork beads can literally take on any shape, size, or color. Some lampwork beads are meant to be strung together like pearls, which others are designed to stand out as dramatic pendants.

Borosilicate is often used to make lampwork beads, as it is considered less likely to crack either during or after the manufacturing process. Soda-lime glass, also known as 'soft glass' is also a popular medium. You can find lampwork beads that have already been made into jewelry or even bulk lampwork beads so that you can use to create your own designs. Lampwork beads are relatively inexpensive, which makes it easy for the novice enthusiast to create a substantial collection in a short amount of time.