#glass vial

I have been busy!  These are two new Tritium designs.  Unlike normal glow in the dark Tritium doesn’t need to by charged by an existing light source.  It’s a gas, slightly radioactive (not dangerously so) and glows continuously for 12 to 15 years.  It’s used in high end watches, gun sights - anything that requires constant illumination.  But it’s very, very expensive and is sold in a range of small glass tubes.  For the safety of the tube I install them in a second glass or crystal vial.

The green stick is small 12mm x 2mm.  It’s sealed in the square crystal vial hung on semicircle silver tone connector with pointed terminals.  Two flat struts are used to attach the chain. 

The orange/pink stick is larger 24mm x 2mm sealed within a second glass vial test tube.  I created a hanging bracket for the vial.  The vial is topped with a 5 finned post.  There is a brass ring on the test tube that holds the vial at a midpoint and can be removed.  The vial itself can be worn without the bracket by clipping two clasps to the holes on the top cap that will be included.  

Pink Tritium Bug

Yes, another tritium piece and a bug.  Kept this one a bit more conceptual - not so accurately insect.  She is very cute.  

I started with a pink tritium vial, sealed within a second glass vial.  The legs are lever action earrings - that can be moved, bolted on to a bracket.  The brass top is screwed into a cord cap.  The “face” is a solid brass six sided cabochon.  I screwed a bolt into the flat back and then bolted it on the cord cap on the end.  Finally I wrapped fine gold tone wire around the head/face join to form antennas. 

Please note: pink is one of the least bright tritium tubes.  My camera changed the true colour so I used digital manipulation to correct the colour values.  My graphics/web design skills are still useful.

She’s slightly over 1 ½ inches long, 1 inch wide and stands ¾ of an inch high - excluding her antennas. I was going to sell her as a pendant - and if someone wants to wear her I can attach to to some chain joined with clasps to her wings.  If you need more photos of that - feel free to contact me.  You would have to be very careful wearing her - the antenna are fragile.  Leg bolts might also loosen with movement and may need to be tightened.

The tritium is estimated to glow for 10 to 15 years without the need for a charge or batteries.

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Tritium Deco Drop

Something a bit more simple - a green Tritium vial, wrapped with fine gold wire and sealed within another vial attached to a gorgeous cut out brass pendant.  I’ve teamed it with a solid brass pendulum covered in ridges. I love using exotic materials like Tritium although Etsy doesn’t like it.  I disagree with their estimation of the material but - their sandbox, their rules.  So if you are interested in buying it, please let me know and I can invoice you through Paypal. You will covered by their buyer protections.  The price is US$145 with free shipping.

Please note that the pendant is made to be worn low on the body.  In the images I had to place it high on the display bust to photograph it and show scale.  The chain is currently 30 inches long, brass rolo links - but I’m happy to alter it to your measurements.  The glass vial is 1 ½ inches long including caps, the whole pendant section is 3 ½ inches long and slightly over 1 inch wide.  

It’s estimated the Tritium with glow continuously for 10 to 12 years.  It requires no charging like conventional “glow in the dark” pigments.  

This is a recent commissioned piece - a Christmas gift for my client’s partner.  I was going to mount the spring loaded clip holding the vial on a plain rectangular piece of brass.On a whim I held it over the copper ring that was on my work area. Although it’s quite simple I’m really happy how it’s turned out and will take this concept a bit further in the next piece.  I’ve got to buy more tritium as I’m down to my last few sticks - just yellow and pink left.