Dichroic beads have amazingly vibrant, versatile coloring. The dielectric filter, called the dichroic coating is actually transparent and has no coloring. This coating is actually a very thin layer of metal oxides and quartz that has been vaporized onto a glass surface – the colors are only apparent when light refracts or transmits off the filter that acts as a mirror.
Dichroic on Clear Glass:	When the dielectric filter (dichroic coating) is applied to a glass bead, a dance of color and light creates an image as if metallic glitter has been glued onto the bead. However, hold the bead up to direct light and it becomes transparent, showing color that is refracted or transmitted by the coating). In essence it appears to be a bead that is transparent or lightly colored. The texture of the coating can be felt on these beads.
Cased Dichroic on Clear Glass:	Take this a step further: case the dichroic (color) on a clear glass bead. The bead appears to have specks of metallic color suspended in glass. Depending on the layers of dielectric coating applied to achieve a color value, seeing the core of the bead will be somewhat or very easy to see with the naked eye. Dichroic purple is one such color that makes seeing the bead core very easy, whilst dichroic green is denser, making it a little harder to see the core. Casing the dichroic (color) on clear glass gives the impression of thousands of metallic flecks floating in the glass.
Dichroic on Black Glass:	For a bold, dramatic effect the dielectric (dichroic) coated glass is applied to opaque black glass. Color variations are more pronounced, dazzling and radiant without color-loss when held up to the light. In effect, the dichroic (color) on black glass is even more brilliant when held up to the light. The texture of the coating can be felt on these beads.
Cased Dichroic on Black Glass:	To experience the dramatic effect of the dielectric coating, case the dichroic (color) onto black glass beads. The glass casing gives it the metallic sparkle that is so popular when the dichroic (color is cased onto clear glass, without losing a single speck of color when it is held up to the light. The dielectric coating shimmers and dances with vibrancy, without being overly bold.
Due to the lighting required to take images, and the way that the dielectric filtering interacts with light, it is extremely difficult to portray an image that shows how the dichroic and cased dichroic on clear glass, appears under direct light. Here’s what we can show you:
	Dichroic orange on a clear glass twisted tube bead on a white background; taken under normal light, without using a flash bulb.
	Dichroic orange on a clear glass twisted tube bead on a white background; taken in bright light, using a flash bulb.
If you held the dichroic orange on a clear glass bead up to the light, you’d see a transparent blue and purple bead with the core clearly visible. We hope this short explanation has taken some of the mystery out of these vibrant beads and will go a long way in helping you to use them to their full potential in your next bead creation. Cordially yours, Bead Realm. Thanks go to wordsmith Lynn Mortimer of Lynn Mortimer Marketing Services for her assistance with copy and marketing expertise.