What is Dichroic Glass

The word Dichroic is Greek: di means two and chroic means color. In short, Dichroic glass is man-made. It was developed in the laser industry and made its leap from aerospace filter to art form somewhere between the 1970's and 1980's.

Dichroic glass is coatings of glass. The Dichroic coating is colorless.

• The coating creates a selective barrier between light radiating from a source and the light which our eyes perceive.
• These coatings are composed of certain oxides, titanium, zirconium and others, but they are not considered metals.
• These oxides are placed in a chamber, out of which the air, as is technically possible, is removed by vacuum pumps.
• The oxides are then superheated, creating a vapor which deposits itself on the surface of the glass. This technology is called vacuum deposition.
• As layers are deposited, the colors begin to intensify: the more layers, the more intense the color.
• The end result is a coating that transmits a particular wavelength of light and reflects all of the rest.
• This highly technical process was invented over 100 years ago in Germany, but is highly popularized today and has gained incredible momentum in the field of creative expression by glass artists all over the world.
  

What is Argentium Sterling Silver?

Argentium sterling silver has dramatically better tarnish resistance than standard sterling and is much more durable.

• While it still contains the 92.5% silver legally required for sterling. Argentium replaces about 1 % of the normal copper content in sterling with germanium, significantly altering the alloy's properties.
• The advantages of this patented material over standard sterling include tarnish resistance and resistance to dents, scratches and abrasions.