High Tech Meets High Art: Creating Allura Gems
| Our proprietary process allows us to create gems based on the same design, yet each one is a unique, hand-crafted masterpiece. |
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When you purchase an Allura Designs masterpiece, you'll know two things: The Allura Gems it showcases were created
from scratch by our artists here in the USA. And it's unique, no two Allura Gems are identical.
Stunning Allura Gems owe their existence to NASA. In looking for ways to protect
satellites from harmful cosmic radiation, they developed a process to apply a protective
coating which would reflect unwanted wavelengths of light while allowing other
wavelengths to pass through unaltered.
These coatings were called Dichroic (Die-cro-ick), a Greek word meaning "two lights."
We've adapted this same, high-tech process to create our beautiful Allura Gems.
Our artists cut and assemble various types of dichroic glass with other glass materials.
In a proprietary process, these materials are fused together multiple times in special high
temperature kilns, often at temperatures of over 1500 degrees. Finally, the gems are ground, polished and readied for sale.
Our proprietary process allows us to produce a number of gems based on a single design.
Yet each gem retains ALL of the quality and individuality of a one-of-a-kind artist-created masterpiece.
When you purchase an Allura Designs masterpiece, you'll know two things: The Allura Gems it showcases were created
from scratch by our artists here in the USA. And it's unique, no two Allura Gems are identical.
Stunning Allura Gems owe their existence to NASA. In looking for ways to protect
satellites from harmful cosmic radiation, they developed a process to apply a protective
coating which would reflect unwanted wavelengths of light while allowing other
wavelengths to pass through unaltered.
These coatings were called Dichroic (Die-cro-ick), a Greek word meaning "two lights."
We've adapted this same, high-tech process to create our beautiful Allura Gems.
Our artists cut and assemble various types of dichroic glass with other glass materials.
In a proprietary process, these materials are fused together multiple times in special high
temperature kilns, often at temperatures of over 1500 degrees. Finally, the gems are ground, polished and readied for sale.
Our proprietary process allows us to produce a number of gems based on a single design.
Yet each gem retains ALL of the quality and individuality of a one-of-a-kind artist-created masterpiece.
Inside of a vacuum chamber, microscopic coatings of semi-precious
metals, such as titanium and magnesium, are applied to a glass
surface by an electron beam. Up to 25 of these coatings are
applied, each one as thin as 3-5 millionths of an inch thick! Based
on the metals used, and the order they are applied, certain
wavelengths of light pass through, while others are reflected. The
human eye sees the results as brilliant colors. Our dichroic glass is
custom designed for our gems and is often available nowhere else.
metals, such as titanium and magnesium, are applied to a glass
surface by an electron beam. Up to 25 of these coatings are
applied, each one as thin as 3-5 millionths of an inch thick! Based
on the metals used, and the order they are applied, certain
wavelengths of light pass through, while others are reflected. The
human eye sees the results as brilliant colors. Our dichroic glass is
custom designed for our gems and is often available nowhere else.
Jewelry and Gifts As Unique As You Are.
TM
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