Quality

Combining imported glass beads from Venice, Austria, and Japan, Yumi Chen's jewelry showcases the beauty of the world's finest glass.

Venetian Glass Beads
Venetian glass beads are created by hand, using a traditional method of glasswork called Lampwork. In past centuries, the flame of an oil lamp was used to melt glass rods. Today, specialized burners have replaced oil lamps, but the ancient techniques of lampwork have not changed. Our beautiful glass beads are made on the Italian island of Murano by the highly respected Effettre Moretti Company. Moretti glass will retain its original color, luster, and finish for many centuries without any special storage considerations.

Millefiori Beads
The word, 'Millefiori' means 'a thousand flowers' in Italian. These beads are characterized by the colorful array of glass flower slices that are melted together to form a unique floral bouquet. Each bead is handmade on the island of Murano, Italy, a tradition that has existed for hundreds of years.

24kt Gold Foil and .925 Sterling Silver foil Beads
Venetian foil beads are created by taking a ball of molten glass and applying either 24kt gold foil and/or .925 sterling silver foil to the surface of the glass. Then, colored Moretti glass is melted onto the foil surface to finish each bead. Venetian foil beads have an added glow and sparkle that make them so beautiful.

Aventurina Beads
Aventurina beads uniquely contain small flecks of aventurine which is a form of quartz that naturally sparkles. The aventurine is submerged in colorful glass handmade in Murano, Italy.

Fiorato Beads
Fiorato beads are characterized by small rose shaped flowers called fiore. The fiore's are created on the surface of each bead using molten strands of colored glass. Often, other materials such as aventurine, silver foil, and 24kt gold foil are added to the fiorato beads to create unique distinction.

Please Note: Due to the handmade nature of Venetian glass beads, slight variations in color, texture, and size may occur. These variations are normal and are not flaws or defects in material quality.

Swarovski Crystal
In 1882, Daniel Swarovski invented a machine which made it possible to cut crystal jewelry stones to an unsurpassable level of perfection and precision. Since that time, the name Swarovski has been synonomous with high-quality crystal. For more information on Swarovski crystals, please visit: www.swarovski.com

Japanese Seed and Drop Beads
Yumi's Japanese heritage is incorporated into her jewelry in the form of Japanese seed and drop beads. Like tiny pearls, these imported beads lend elegance and refinement to many of Yumi's creations.

Additional Materials
Yumi Chen uses .925 sterling silver and 14K gold filled clasps and findings, Soft Flex wire, Stretch Magic elastic, and Beadalon's Remembrance wire.