Glass names-do they matter?

mel · May 03, 2011, 12:31:43 PM

I have just made a simple set of blue lentils, using different shades of blue. In this set I used Halong Bay (possibly for the first time) on one bead and effetre dark aqua on another. Blow me, I couldnt tell the difference when they came out the kiln, or when etched. Halong Bay is £9.75 a quarter pound while dark turquoise is £5.50 a half pound, which means the Halong Bead is approximately 4 times the cost of the aqua bead. Did I do something wrong which made them look the same? Have I misfiled my glass and confused myself?
Possibly, but I suspect that we are all lured by the imaginative and sumptiousness sounds of the CiM range, while lets face it, the effetre names are mostly lacking in frills and just describe the colour. CiM seem to carry a broader range of colours, but with some colours are we simply paying extra for a glamourous name which then carries forward to an adventurous and glamourous sounding bead description? Has anyone else found 'matches' between glass makes with large price differences? Also, CiM rods often have a lovely silky sheen which (for me) vanishes as soon as I melt it, are we lured by the possibility of a sexy satin sheen finish too?
Dont get me wrong, I do like CiM, but this did get me thinking about the glass names and CiMs successful marketing.

garishglobes · May 03, 2011, 12:39:31 PM

It is a very interesting point. Names do matter, and evocative ones definitely help to sell whatever the product. I know the owner of a local hamper company who swears that their products shifted so well last Christmas because of the names they were given! (The products were good too, but the names added that extra 'zing').
I do find it hard to resist a lot of the sexier sounding boro rods, but luckily most of them live up to the name! At the end of the day, I think that however good the name is, it needs to be backed up by the product. If you try something and find it not that special then a good name isn't going to make you buy it twice.

Kalorlo · May 03, 2011, 12:56:26 PM

Hmm, halong bay should look different from dark aqua. Halong bay's an opal - you can see it on CiM's site here. It'll react differently too, I bet.

CiM pulsar is very like dark aqua, but is also priced similarly.

Aside from that, I do love CiM's colour names! It makes a nice difference from pale blue, light blue, medium blue, dark blue type of naming, functional though those are

paintboxcrafts · May 03, 2011, 01:01:38 PM

In my experience Halong Bay will not etch, so I suspect you got it muddled up.

mel · May 03, 2011, 01:41:04 PM

Knowing me, I am muddled, will try it again next time I'm on the torch. I don't have any pulsar so it cant be that.

MadelineBunyan · May 03, 2011, 02:33:27 PM

yes, I thought halong bay was a pale bluey opal, not a transparent turquoise?

it could possibly have come to you mislabelled?

alot of the cims are similar to effetre colours, one batch of creamsicle I had could only be identified as CIM by the look of the rod, couldn't see the difference in a finished bead (now the batches of both are different and I don't like either of them grr!) I cannot tell the difference between pulsar and effetre dark aqua

on the other hand atlantis and rainforest...they are yummy colours that nothing else looks like...I just wish I could make things in them that worked, they are busy hating me right now!

ScarletLeonard · May 03, 2011, 02:55:23 PM

I think I was swayed by the names to begin with but I do find the glass so much nicer to use than effetre which is why I have stuck with it. The CiM colours I use don't really compare to effetre other than freman which is similar to light turquoise (no I'm not counting peace and Tuxedo there blacks black and whites white.)

Krysia@No98 · May 03, 2011, 04:12:55 PM

Maybe you should just look at the part numbers 519221 is never going to be sexy (and I'm from a maths background and very much like numbers

)

On a serious note though it is worth paying attention to the part numbers as the names of the glass change and the part numbers don't... I have been caught out by that a few times.

Baby blue any one?

Donna@Rockin' Beads · May 17, 2011, 07:55:56 PM

I have noticed that certain CIM colours are very similar to effetre but several times the price - count von Count and eff trans lilac (not sure what the code is but I really cannot tell the difference). Elphaba and eff lime green - very, very similar.
I used Eff cool laguna today which seemed very similar to Reichenbach mystic blue. Not sure of the price difference and maybe I was using it wrongly but it makes you think!!

Redhotsal · May 17, 2011, 09:59:47 PM

I had a conversation with a student today which was on much the same lines. There are definitely some CIM colours which seem to me to be almost exactly the same as some Effetre ones - Pulsar being the obvious choice. In fact - Pulsar's not IMO even as good as the Effetre dark Aqua - you get loads of those little sparks which end in pits. I know exactly where I am with Effetre - Lime Green, White, Yellow......does exactly wot it says on the tin.

I just think that names like "Grumpy Bear" and "Unique Adamantium" are actually annoying. But then, I'm a bit of an old fuddy duddy........

sea-thistle · May 17, 2011, 10:19:26 PM

Oh I wouldn't say that Sal! I think some of the colours of CIM and Effetre are very similar, so I am careful now about what I buy. I have the Effetre Dark Aqua and the Lime green and they are great. I do love CIM but I think one can be swayed by the names they give them, good advertising ploy ~I think lol

Blue Box Studio · May 17, 2011, 11:14:13 PM

I notice no one has called their glass 'green poo', I feel this is an oversight and could name a few contenders for the title!

Quote from: Krysia on May 03, 2011, 04:12:55 PM

Maybe you should just look at the part numbers 519221 is never going to be sexy (and I'm from a maths background and very much like numbers )

I'm sure 519221 is very sexy, if you happen to be 519367 (or some other number).

Redhotsal · May 18, 2011, 10:37:37 AM

Quote from: Blue Box Studio on May 17, 2011, 11:14:13 PM
I notice no one has called their glass 'green poo', I feel this is an oversight and could name a few contenders for the title!

Krysia@No98 · May 18, 2011, 01:44:39 PM

Quote from: Blue Box Studio on May 17, 2011, 11:14:13 PM
Quote from: Krysia on May 03, 2011, 04:12:55 PM

Maybe you should just look at the part numbers 519221 is never going to be sexy (and I'm from a maths background and very much like numbers )

I'm sure 519221 is very sexy, if you happen to be 519367 (or some other number).

Maybe that's the answer you need to match make the glass

It has to be said that I have samples of all the glass that I have made up into beads. I know some of you are rolling you eyes. I have found it very useful to learn about what the different glasses do and also when people say, I'd like a red bead, to then work out which red the want. (Mum is most particular about her reds) I have them on little tags and because when I started I was running out of tags I doubled them up. I don't put two glasses from the same manufacturer and that turned out to be a good idea as with out knowing beforehand you wouldn't know that grumpy bear was blue and if it's on a cord with another colour how would you tell the difference?

Shirley · May 18, 2011, 02:48:26 PM

I love CIM. I don't think there are many colours that are in the Effetre range and often those that are similar behave very differently. Peace is a stable white, Hades reacts, Tuxedo is a good solid black, and as for crocus, peacock, kryptonite and atlantis, I've not seen anything like them anywhere else.

Some of the CIM is a pretty original colour and priced very competitively. Clockwork for one.

Can you tell I'm a fan?