Dichroic Glass Jewelry Process

By: Brent Moody

What Is Dichroic Glass Jewelry?

Dichroic glass jewelry, sometimes known as art glass jewelry, is jewelry that has been created by merging numerous micro-layers of metal oxides which provides the glass dichroic optical attributes. Dichroic substance distributes visible light to be parse out into distinct beams of color.

Where Did It Come From?

The track record of dichroic glass runs back to the 50's and 60's when NASA, defense personnel and also the Department of Defense created this high-tech fabric meant for use as optical filters, as a shield against cosmic radiation and several other uses. For instance, the golden sheen on an astronaut's face shield is a dichroic layer meant to guard against the harsh glare of organic and obviously unfiltered natural light.

Becoming More Popular

With all the beautiful colors and texture of Dichroic glass jewelry, it is no question the reason this merchandise has become more popular. Some dichroic glass jewelry products that you are able to buy include: dichroic glass pendants, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, home décor, belt buckles, key rings, hair accessories, and more!

Manufacturing Process

The method of manufacuring dichroic glass requires complicated procedures which has been mastered by just a few manufacturers. The limited supply is partially because of the requirement for very high-tech technology. Dichroic glass is developed by carefully heating various metallic oxides in the vacuum chamber to very high temperatures, using a high-voltage electron beam, until they are vaporized and deposited onto the surface of the glass. Time and temperature are used to control the thickness of the oxide on the glass. As stated above, the complete process may require from 15 to 50 distinct layers of alternating metallic and silicon oxides.

The metallic oxides don't have any intrinsic colour themselves, rather it is the actual properties of the metallic oxides within the dichroic glass that cause different wavelengths of lighting to both reflect or transmit some wavelengths a lot more than others. These attributes cause many kinds of light to travel through the glass along slightly different paths triggering the color shift all of us observe. Most dichroic glass uses both transmission and reflection of light to attain the ideal effect so that as you rotate a piece of dichroic glass, even a little, you'll notice a shifting rainbow of colors.

The type of oxide, such as titanium or magnesium, the quantity of oxides used, the order and amount of layers, and the pattern will define the final result. Because of the number of variables, dichroic glass provides an incredibly rich and diverse palette of colors and patterns for glass artists to work with.

The firing process, which is sometimes repeated several times, is the key stage of making the item and dichroic glass manufacturer's do this with great care to ensure strength and durability for every item. Each piece will last a lifetime, provided it is not overly abused.

Article Source: https://www.collectibles-articles.com

Beyond Beadz specializes in producing and manufacturing Dichroic glass jewelry such as dichroic glass pendants, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, home decor, and more.

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