13 Dec Give the Gift of Wonder: Sundrop Jewelry
Every year, Brian Williams Science helps you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. Today, we present Sundrop Jewelry!
Every year, the Brian Williams Science publishes a set of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect gift for the science enthusiast in your life. We call it Giving the Gift of Wonder. This year, we’ve got a very special list of great gifts ideas meant to inspire curiosity and imagination. Some are for children. Others are for adults. Many are for kids of all ages! Chances are that you’ll be able to check a few names off your list with some of the ideas you find here. And as usual, we hope that you will take time this holiday season to Do Some Science!
Today’s Gift Idea: Sundrop Jewelry
This year, give someone a gift kissed by the power of the sun. Sundrop Jewelry uses a giant 31-by-41-inch Fresnel lens—originally designed for lighthouses—to focus the the power of the sun to melt glass into delicate teardrops. This unique glass-working technique was invented by artist Bretwood Higman when he was a teenager in Alaska, experimenting with a giant magnifying lens on the beach. Now, Sundrop Jewelry is created by several artists capturing the sunlight that falls in their backyards. The brilliantly hued 1-to-1.25-inch drops come in colors like strike red, black, honey, and teal flare. Artists use the glass drops to form the focal points of luminescent pendants, earrings, belly rings, and wine charms, subtly catching the light that created them. Each piece is a unique work of art created by the power of the sun and a bit of science!
