ABOUT FUSED GLASS

Fusing glass is the process of joining two or more pieces of glass through heating to high temperatures.  The layers become thinner and the edges become rounded.  This heating process is accomplished by firing the glass in a kiln up to 1450 to 1550 degrees Fahrenheit and then holding for the appropriate amount time in order for the glass to become one unit. 

Annealing the glass is the phase in the firing program that encompasses the final stages, from maintenance cooling (the annealing point) until the glass reaches room temperature. Annealing is the critical process of relieving stress inside a piece of glass. 

The History of Dichroic Glass
 
The history of dichroic glass goes back to the 1950's and 1960's when NASA, defense contractors and the Department of Defense developed this high-tech material for use as optical filters, as a shield against cosmic radiation and many other uses.

Dichroic glass does not use paints, dyes, gels or any standard coloring agents to create color anymore than a prism does. The fantastic colors are created through the manipulation of light. The multi-colored effect is the result of complex light interactions called "thin film physics". Thin-film physics examples are rainbow patterns in a soap bubble.
    

The manufacture of dichroic glass requires complex processing processes which have been mastered by only a handful of manufacturers. The limited supply is partially due to the requirement for very high-tech equipment. Dichroic glass is created by carefully heating various metallic oxides in a 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. The complete process may require from 15 to 50 distinct layers of alternating metallic and silicon oxides.  The dichroic coating creates an optical filter that transmits (passes) certain wavelengths of light and reflects (blocks) others. The metallic oxides have no intrinsic color themselves, instead it is the physical properties of the metallic oxides in the dichroic glass that cause different wavelengths of light to either reflect or transmit some wavelengths more than others. These properties cause some kinds of light to travel through the glass along slightly different paths causing the color shift we observe. Most dichroic glass uses both transmission and reflection of light to achieve the desired effect so that as you rotate a piece of dichroic glass, you'll see a shifting rainbow of colors. The type of oxide, and the number of oxides used, the order and number of layers, and the pattern will determine the final effect. With so many variables, dichroic glass presents an incredibly rich and varied palette of colors and patterns for glass artists to work with.  There are many challenges involved in using dichroic glass in art glass and fashion jewelry.

Making dichroic glass is rocket science
exploring its endless possibilities,
that's art!

*Each piece is unique. Dimensions, pattern and coloring may vary slightly due to the variations in dichroic or iridized glass.  Materials used could include sterling silver, Bali silver, natural stones, fused glass, glass beads, ceramic or porcelain beads, wood and other organic materials.  Never do we use any plastics or resin materials. Necklaces range in length from approximately 18” to 36”. Please contact us if additional information is required.