THE ORIGINS OF DICHROIC JEWELLERY

Dichroic (pronounced dye-KRO-ik) is Greek meaning 2 colours and  refers to the property of having more than one colour when viewed from different angles and as the light dances on the glass surface it changes colour.

Dichroic glass has a transmitted colour and a different reflective colour, which changes depending on angle of view, which is also dependant on the level/layer of fusing and the backing glass (normally black or transparent).

It is best viewed in person, as a photo cannot capture the movement of the piece reflecting the light, or the true depth of the glass.

The fantastic brilliance of dichroic glass is achieved by vaporising micro thin layers of rare metallic oxides (selenium, titanium, manganese and others) that have been vaporised with an electron gun, onto a hot glass sheet in a controlled vacuum. This alters the refraction index of the spectrum, causing the light rays to bend as it enters the glass and returns to your eye in brilliant colour. Unlike dyes or pigments most of the light is reflected back directly to your eye. This accounts for the unusual brilliance of the glass. If you look at the sides of the piece you see that there's no colour in the glass itself. The colours are the result of the micro layers of metallic oxides, which are colourless themselves, interacting with light (different colours depend on what metallic oxides are used). Dichroic glass represents a contribution of the aerospace industry to the art world. NASA use this technology…the coated glass shields spacecraft instruments from cosmic radiation and protects human vision from unfiltered sunlight in space.

The jewellery artist then has a large choice of dichroic glass sheets to choose from ranging from a rainbow of colours to different patterns and textures.

The pieces are then cut, assembled and fused (layered) together with other glass and then fired repeatedly in extreme heat in a ceramic kiln to create dramatic, unique and eye catching glass art.

The oxides create an opalescent gleam to the colours which resemble the colours in peacock feathers or butterfly wings. Every piece is individually handcrafted so every piece is unique.