DESCRIPTION :If you have never experienced Dichroic then here is your chance to. It is extremely hard to put in words the beauty of these beads, They are simply amazing.
These are hand made beads ready to make into eye catching jewellery. The hole runs through side to side of each of the beads near the top so they hang in a drop type style.

SIZES: approx 38mm at the longest down to 24mm at the shortest x 7.5mm wide x 5mm thick

please note that there will be slight variations on the sizing, colour and pattern on the beads as all beads are handmade

AMOUNT: 5 bead set

The low down on Dichroic!

This article courtesy of Mary Fleming of Beadrealm.com

First an explanation of Dichroic:
Dichroism (noun) from the Greek word di-chroos meaning (di) two (chroos) colour the property possessed by some crystals of exhibiting two different colours when viewed along different crystal axes; the property of exhibiting different colors by reflected or transmitted light

We perceive colours by the way wavelengths (colour) of light are selectively interfered (hindered) with by matter (absorbed, diffracted, reflected, refracted or scattered) on its way to our eyes and hence to our brain.
But Dichroic glass is unique!

The term Dichroic Glass is a bit of a misnomer, as the glass itself does not produce the colors, rather it is the dielectric coating of micro-thin layers of metal oxides and quartz applied to the surface of the glass which produces a interference filter that creates the varied colors we see. Similar to what happens when viewing hummingbird or peacock feathers. So when you hear or see the term Dichroic Glass, you will know it is actually a dielectric interference filter applied to the surface of glass.

The micro thin layers are clear, there is no color inherent in the material. Due to the incredibly thin layers it has no mechanical integrity on its own which is why it is applied to the surface of glass.

Why glass? Glass is stable, rigid, able to withstand fairly high temperatures, is not effected by moisture or solvents and it is transparent; making it an ideal substrate for the coating process.

What makes the dichroic filter unique is that the material absorbs no light, each wavelength striking the surface of the interference filter which acts as a selective color mirror is accounted for either in reflected light or transmitted light, there is no loss of light energy due to absorption.
Depending on the thickness of each layer; what metal oxide or quartz was used; and the order in which it was applied, allows the filter to selectively reflect certain wavelengths of light while transmitting the remaining wavelengths. Contrast this with colored glass where light enters the glass and part of the wavelength is absorbed, emitting only the part of the color spectrum that was not absorbed.

The Process

Dichroic glass is created by a highly technical vacuum deposition process whereby multiple micro-thin layers of metal oxides, quartz crystals and others are vaporized with an electron beam gun mounted at the bottom of an airless vacuum chamber