I just love making jewelry with beads made of uranium glass. Uranium glass, sometimes called vaseline glass, glows brightly under UV light.
Uranium glass was mostly made before WWII, when the government confiscated all supplies of uranium and therefore all production of uranium was halted. Years later after nuclear testing was banned, the government eased restrictions and now allows a very limited amount of uranium to be used by glass companies for production of uranium and vaseline glass. This makes uranium glass highly sought after by collectors and to this day is only made under very limited productions. Not just anyone has the desire to make uranium glass, we’re talking serious obsessed collectors here! They demand is huge, and there are no other types of glass as fascinating as uranium glass.
In the early 1800’s Uranium Glass was created by adding uranium dioxide to melted glass, by a company called Whitefriars Glass Works in London. A pair of uranium glass candlesticks were presented first to the Queen of England. Uranium salts, or uranium dioxide, in it’s natural state is a bright vivid yellow. So it is understandable why back in the day they used this as a colorant for fine handmade glass. One of the most significant things about uranium glass is it will give a positive reading on a geiger counter, and glows a bright yellow under a black light. These are the only ways to tell if it is true uranium glass, as all other methods are not accurate.
I had fun making this necklace. There are also matching earrings. The beads are very large and chunky, and swirled with pink glass! It reminds me of something vintage you’d see a flapper girl wearing perhaps.

Pink Uranium Glass Necklace
You can find my uranium glass jewelry in my etsy shop! click here for the uranium glass section