New Collection of Picasso Beads
February 11, 2017
![New Collection of Picasso Beads]()
New Picasso beads - from the 2016 Tucson Trunk Show
- Picasso beads from the 2016 Tucson Trunk Show
The Wild, Wild West Party last month was a big success. The haul of new beads that Colleen and Sue brought back from Tucson really seemed to hit the mark among Island Cove's clientele. The top seller that night? Picasso finish beads! Colleen attributes their popularity to the "unusual blend of colors" and distinctive stone-like appearance.
What is the Picasso finish?
According to Starman, one of the top wholesale distributors of Czech glass beads, the Picasso finish is "a luster coating that appears more speckled and spotty; giving the bead a natural, earthy appearance. The color can vary from light yellow to dark brown with underlying color variations. Some base bead colors, such as opaque beige, blue or white, allow the Picasso finish to take on a raku pottery look."
The Rosary Workshop, a website specializing in rare and museum-inspired beads, details the craft and history of Picasso beads on their site. The glass is pressed, fire-polished, and then "subjected to various heated metal gasses to get the coating."
Shop the Picasso bead collection
Island Cove is restocked for spring with many shapes, sizes, and colors of Picasso beads. Their earthy look is the perfect pairing for other organic materials like wood, leather cord, or seashell beads.
Drop by the shop to browse the new strands and integrate some new Picasso beads into your own designs, like the below featured Czechmate Band Bracelet with Picasso finish tile beads. Or, sign up for one of our jewelry-making classes and check the Event Calendar for all the latest details.
- Czechmate Band Bracelet with Picasso finish tile beads
- Tubes of Picasso seed beads
