Buying lampwork beads (or anything) based on visual appeal only is not always a good idea. Just as buying based solely on price is not a good idea.

You found the most beautiful looking lampwork beads online, you are ready to hit the BUY ME button! But first consider asking yourself or the seller (if you can't find the information) the following questions:

QUESTION: Are these beads annealed properly in a kiln? - All lampwork beads should be annealed for strength and durability. Annealing will NOT make your beads indestructible, but it will make them a far more superior bead with a much greater chance of lasting throughout its life on a piece of jewelry.

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Beads should be annealed in a kiln, not in the flame of the artist's torch. A kiln is a device used to heat up objects like beads to a certain temperate and hold it there for a specified period of time. Annealing a bead means heating it up to a certain point where all the molecules that compose it are relaxed, this relieves the stress on the bead. Once at this point beads often soak at the temperature for 30 minutes or more, then go through a very slow cool down phase lasting hours. Each type of glass has a different temperature required for annealing. This stress relief gives the bead a more superior strength, making it less likely to crack.

Beads that crack almost straight down the center do so because of a stress fracture. Either they were not made correctly on the torch (the bead may have got to cool while being made by accident), or they were not annealed properly.

QUESTION: Were these beads made by the artist selling them? Or mass-produced somewhere else? - Mass produced beads from countries such as China, are usually cheap, and often look really good, but are ALMOST never annealed in a kiln, or cleaned.

QUESTION: Have these beads been cleaned inside the holes? - When a lampworker makes a bead they do so on a steel mandrel coated in what is called bead release. Bead release stays behind inside the bead after being made and annealed. You should never make jewelry with beads that still have the bead release inside the holes. It not only leaves behind a powdery mess when your beading string/wire rubs against it, but it can also be toxic when inhaled.

QUESTION: Ask if the seller/Artist guarantee's their work? What is their return policy?

Other Related Articles:

Know Your Beads - Artist Made Lampwork Beads
Buying Lampwork - Art Glass Beads