Neferene.com

Neferene.com is a family owned business based out of the Ann Arbor, Michigan area.

The name of the company was inspired by the ancient Queen of Egypt, Nefertiti. 

Her full name: Neferenefruaten Nefertiti means “Beautiful are the beauties of the sun because the beautiful one has come”.

 

We at Neferene.com strive to provide the most beautiful quality, one-of-a-kind, hand-made arts that can be found.   We offer handmade lampwork beads that are individually made in our own studios with our own hands and minds (and of course a hot torch).   Our specialty is unique jewelry that is made of only the finest materials (sterling silver, 14k gold filled, fresh water pearls, amethyst, rose quartz, hematite, jade, agate, jasper, and many more).

 

We pride our company’s success on the patronage of our customers and also their pride in owning Neferene.com crafted arts.

  How my Lampwork Beads are Made 

Glass is an organic material. It is made out of soda, lime, sand and different natural metals. With a little help from electricity or the occasional lightning bolt, Voila: glass is born. The different colors are the effect from the different metals. Ever find a glass rock on the beach? Amazing isn’t it? Lampwork beads are handmade glass beads made with a hot torch. They are made using a centuries-old process called lampworking – a term which refers to the oil lamps once used to melt the glass. Modern beadmakers, such as myself, use a variety of torches, tools and glass to produce individual glass beads which may contain remarkable detail and artistry. I work with an oxygen and propane torch to create my beads. My studio is in my garage for ventilation and safety reasons.

To put the process simply, a slender rod of glass is slowly melted in the torch at around 1700 degrees (F) and the molten glass is then carefully and continuously wound around a specially-coated steel mandrel ( the steel rod is coated in a bead release material that looks like mud) . As the molten glass is added to the mandrel, it is sculpted and shaped, additional colors added, all with the intent of forming a variety of different effects and designs. This process can take some time – often hours for a very large and intricate bead. Once the bead is completed, it is removed from the flame and either immediately annealed, or allowed to cool slowly in an insulated blanket or container of vermiculite and annealed later in batches with other beads. The process of annealing refers to heating (or reheating) the bead to a preset temperature for a particular length of time, dependent on the size of a bead. “Soaking” in this high heat allows any stresses in the glass bead to “relax” and bond, which ultimately provides a durable lasting strength to it’s beauty. Beads that are not annealed are prone to cracking sooner or later.

Further cleaning and/or processing will be required before each distinctive and unique glass bead is ready to then be fashioned into a piece of my jewelry.