What is Dichroic Glass?

For over a decade there has been a growing interest in dichroic glass. What is it, how is it made and where did it come from? If you are new to dichroic glass, you are in for a real treat as you discover the fire and multicolored brilliance of dichroic glass that I artistically transformed into wearable art. Dichroic (pronounced dye-crow-ick) glass, commonly called dichro for short, literally means ''two colored'' and is derived from the Greek words ''di'' for two, and ''chroma'' for color. It was named for its fantastic multi-colored and reflective properties. When you look at this glass, it appears to have more than one color at the same time, especially when viewed at different angles. Dichroic glass is not reflective because of special glass or textures. Instead, it is a special coating treatment that is done to the glass.

This beautiful glass represents an adaptation of aerospace technology to the world of art. NASA originally developed dichroic glass for use in satellite mirrors in the early 1990s, and also uses it for re-entry tiles on space shuttles. Making dichroic glass requires a complex processing technique and is only made by a handful of manufacturers that have high-tech equipment like high temperature vacuum chambers, vaporizing electro-guns, and high temperature kilns.

Dichroic glass does not use paints, dyes, or any other kind of coloring agent to create its color and it does not rub off. It is a metallic coating.

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I use this wonderful glass in my creations, cutting each piece individually and fusing the different layers in one of my studio kilns to create these one of a kind pieces for you! Enjoy!

Jen Pietrow

Pietrow Designs