When glass is tack fused, the layers remain distinguishable as separate pieces, even though the glass has fused completely
Momo has just been reprinted in the the U.S. by McSweeney's! Order up a copy here.
Q. WIll the two layers of glass fall apart?
A. No, that's impossible! The two layers of glass are fused together at around 1400 degrees in a specialized kiln. This particular kind of fuse, where you can still differentiate between two layers of glass, is called a tack fuse. It is essentially one piece, however.
Q. Is all your jewelry sterling silver?
A. Any metal that goes through the ears is sterling silver. The pendant bails are silver-plated with a lacquer finish to prevent oxidation.
Q. What is up-cycling and why is it better than recycling?
A. Up-cycling is re-using the resource as it is. When recycling, the resource is sent back to get melted, shredded, reconstituted, whatever. So while recycling is generally a very good thing, it does consume more energy than up-cycling does.
A lot of our glass is up-cycled. It comes from the back-rooms of framing stores and the studios of glaziers. Their left-over cuts become our pendants and earrings.
Q. Do you guys make all this stuff, or are you just the designers?
A. Yes, we make everything! Momo Glassworks is a cottage industry, like Grandma Nona's ravioli. The scarves sold at our Bryant Park pop-up shop are made by Rosario's mom and sister-in-law in Argentina.
Q. I've noticed that you use adhesive in some of your pieces to bond glass and metal. What if they come unglued?
A. We use the best UV glass-metal adhesive on the market when we bond glass to metal. Edo does all of the gluing in a dedicated corner of the studio, using heat lamps to optimize the curing process. Each piece is quality-tested afterwards before being sold.
That said, adhesives are notorious for treachery. It's not a perfect world, and if anything you've purchased from us needs re-gluing we'll be happy to handle the repair at no cost (besides shipping).
Q. Do you sell wholesale?
A. Yes. All of the jewelry is now available for wholesale. Rosario's larger art work is probably not, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Please inquire.
Q. If you two are married, how come you have different last names?
A. Because we both have stubborn personalities. TMI.
Q. Why are you called 'Momo'?
A. Its the name of a German children's book written by Michael Ende. (The fellow who wrote "The Neverending Story" before it was turned into a movie). We read the story out loud together when we first met. Its one of those children's books with many layers of meaning within it, so adults will find it just as interesting as children. One of its themes is the rise of Modernity, and what has been lost in the process.