Coatings

Fire polished glass beads are often given a coating which alters their appearance and colour.

One of the most common and popular is the AB (Aurora Borealis) coating. This finish reflects the colours of the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. It appears as an iridescent or rainbow coating. The AB coating is often applied to just one side of the bead whiles it is still hot and it is this which creates its rainbow or prism effect on the bead surface.

There is also a metallic coating consisting of oxidized tin sprayed onto the fire polished bead. This gives a wonderful shimmer, great for those who like modern jewellery making.

Another coating is the vitrail coating which is a metallic coating usually applied to one side of the bead. This reflects similar tones to the AB coating but with a metallic refection underneath.

The coatings are often referred to using a five number code. While not complete, the following table gives some of the common coatings with their name and codes.

Crystal / AB