Fused glass pendants and cabs are popular pieces to incorporate into jewelry. So, it’s important to know how to pick a quality piece of fused glass.

Difficulty Level: easy      Time Required: 10 minutes

1. Check the back of a fused piece to see if it is smooth vs. rough. If it’s rough, this means the artists didn’t clean his kiln shelves often enough.
2. Determine how much, if any, dichroic glass is used. This will make the piece worth more.
3. Examine the shape. If it is suppose to be round, how well was the shape cut?
4. Check to see if a piece was over fired. For example, a square piece might be shaped more like an hour glass if over fired.
5. Look for extra touches such as holes to allow for stringing, jump rings, or findings attached to the back, etc.
6. Consider if the piece looks like there is actually a design on it or if it looks like someone just slapped it together.

1. Ask the artists if they offer any price breaks if you buy in quantity.
2. Try to coordinate colors of glass with beads or wire you already have.
   

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