Glass jewelry beads have been around literally for thousands of years. While today most glass jewelry beads are made by machine in ancient times they were made by hand requiring skilled craftsmen to create various shapes and designs. One of the first methods used in making glass beads that is still used by those who make handcrafted beads today is the wound bead method. The wound bead method consists of heating glass rods to a sufficient temperature to melt the glass and make it easy to work. This heated glass is then wound around a thin metal rod or wire covered in clay to make the releasing of the cooled bead easier.

Once the glass is wound around the metal wire to form a bead, the bead is then shaped using paddles or sand and left to cool. In some instances, small additional strands of glass in a different color are added to the bead to make different designs and add interest. Jewelry beads come in various sizes, shapes, colors and designs and are as popular today as they were a thousand years ago for the making of jewelry.

Glass jewelry beads are used to make necklaces, bracelets, earrings and even pins. Glass jewelry is versatile and quite popular among women of all ages. Part of the popularity of glass jewelry is that it adds a bit of sparkle and interest to any wardrobe while costing far less than precious or semi precious gem stones. Many women use these beads to make their own jewelry while others prefer to buy their glass bead  jewelry already made.