AHOY BEADERS: A 15-YEAR SOL-GEL TEST
In 2004 I purchased an assortment of what were then new Czech seed bead colors, based upon what the manufacturers call a "solgel" process to retain colorfastness. You can check the Preciosa site for info on this type of seed bead coating.
I taped a strand from each of the hanks to an acrylic display stand, and left it in a dusty window corner, forgotten for 15 years. When I say "window corner," I mean a typical Juneau window - shaded by shrubbery, low winter light, overcast weather conditions - so we're not talking Arizona desert light here. I recollect noticing after a few years that the colors were fading, but only yesterday got around to finding the original box of beads in my attic so I could compare the before-and-after.
The pinks fared the worst, with the "mango," "salmon," "Cheyenne," and "fuchsia" losing nearly all traces of color. The "galvanized" metallic colors look awful, possibly assisted in their deterioration by Juneau's damp climate, even indoors. The metallic lining of the "silver-lined" beads did hold up, with only a few small grayish spots of tarnish, so there's that, I guess.
The rosaline pink beads on the far right are the baseline comparison sample. They're actual pink glass, not dyed or coated. The color did not fade.
LESSON: KEEP BEADWORK WITH THESE SOLGEL COLORS STORED AWAY FROM LIGHT AND DAMP.
The colors sequence in the photo:
Transparent Dark Black Diamond; SmokyQuartz Silver-lined; Periwinkle Blue; Light Aqua Silver-lined; Light Sky Blue; Opal Turquoise Green; Transparent Grey Green; Metallic Aqua; Metallic Light Green; Metallic Light Gold; Light Topaz Silber-Lined; Salmon; Metallic Copper Pink; Light Rose Silver-lined; Transparent Mango; Cheyenne Pink; Transparent Fuchsia; Lilac
