Chevron Bead Necklace

Chevron beads, first invented by the Venetians in about 1500 A.D., have been an extremely popular form of adornment throughout the ages. As a specialized cane or drawn-glass bead, the chevron is formed by forcing or blowing a single or multiple-layered gather of glass into a tapered mold with corrugated sides, which produces points on the outer surface. This pleated gather is then encased with additional glass layers of various colors, which may again be molded to produce further outer layers with points. Finally, stripes may be applied to the surf ace. While the multi layered, hollow-gather is still viscid, it is drawn into a cane of at least six feet, cooled, and finally sectioned into beads. These sections are often reheated or ground to produce a more finished product in various new shapes.