Rainbow-like color produced when thin altered layers on weathered glass interfere with reflected or transmitted light.
GlassRenu · Educational illustration
Meaning and boundaries
This is different from strain-pattern iridescence in heat-treated glass and from intentional iridescent coatings. Similar colors can arise from several optical mechanisms.
Why it matters in glass restoration
The distinction prevents a corrosion symptom from being confused with heat-treatment anisotropy or a removable surface film.
Related terms
References
- National Glass Association — Construction Site Protection and Maintenance of Architectural Glass
Publisher’s original source - National Glass Association — Assessing the Durability of Decorative Glass
Publisher’s original source - Canadian Conservation Institute — Care of Ceramics and Glass
Publisher’s original source - Canadian Conservation Institute — Caring for ceramic and glass objects
Publisher’s original source - Getty Conservation Institute — Twentieth-Century Building Materials: History and Conservation
Publisher’s original source