Indian Glass Bead Chunky Oval 28x14mm Topaz Swirl and Dot

Indian Glass Kiln Beads offer a distinctive aesthetic from simple to intricate, featuring detailed designs on the surface such as these decorative swirl and dot beads. To create the surface treatment, the glass is heated with a flame torch and carefully applied to a mandrel to form the bead shape. This process requires a high level of skill to ensure the bead retains its structure. During production, as the bead cools, the exterior shrinks while the interior remains hot and expanded, which can cause cracking. To prevent this, beads are annealed in a kiln where the temperature is slowly reduced, making the final product stronger and more resistant to breaking. It takes a master bead maker to produce beads that are almost identical.
Indian glass beads often arrive with a dusty white or grey coating. This material is called "kiln wash" or "slip," which is used to help the bead release from the wire during production. You can easily remove it by rinsing the beads with tepid water or wiping them with a cloth.

Circa 1990s

Shape: Barrel 
Size: 28x14mm with large hole
Colour: Brown with orange dots and blue and white swirls