Dichroic Glass

Jewelry comes in many forms and made from many materials. Dichroic glass is one material used frequently, but most people are not aware of it.

Glass has been a popular material in jewelry making for centuries. Glass beads are often used in place of more expensive pearls or gemstones, and faceted glass crystals add sparkle to many costume jewelry pieces. Blown glass has also become a part of jewelry - with glass makers creating small blown-glass pieces to be used as pendants, bracelets and rings. The light reflective properties of glass, along with the fact that it can easily be made in many colors, makes it a very popular jewelry component. Today, the newest trend in jewelry made from glass is the use of dichroic glass.

Dichroic glass is not a blown glass, it is a type of what is known as fused glass. The procedure of making fused glass has been around for thousands of years - it is achieved when two (or more) pieces of glass are heated so hot that they melt together. What makes dichroic glass unique among fused glass is the technique used to create this glass. Dichroic glass is created by depositing a multi-layered coating on the glass with a vacuum deposition process.

Metals and quartz crystals are actually applied to the dichroic glass using an electron beam, and up to thirty different layers of this process can coat just one piece of glass. The dichroic process (and the resulting material) was originally intended for the aerospace industry, but today, many jewelers and artisans use this material for their artwork. The glass is called "dichroic" because it has two different layers of color: the one you see when looking at it straight on and another from the side.

Most dichroic glass is purchased from artisan supply companies, who then heat the glass to bring out even more color, and sometimes even fuse different pieces together. They then set the glass into a metal, or add a way to attach it as a bead or other component of jewelry. Most dichroic glass is used for pendants, but some create other pieces as well. Sterling silver pairs well with this material, and is usually used for the base of a pendant or bracelet. Other metals that can work well with this sort of glass include copper - which can bring out the bright shine of the colors within the glass.

If you are looking for an interesting new piece of jewelry, something made with dichroic glass may be just what you are looking for. This beautiful metallic material can be made in many different colors, to complement all sorts of personalities and outfits.

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