[Jewelry making - Article 00307] - Re: [Orchid] New LED lights recommendation

[Ian W. Wright]

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>     I too have been disappointed in the color of LED lights for jewelry
>     display. Even with all their other advantages, LEDs are just too
>     cold looking. 

    Before the white LEDs bacame common there were some companies trying
    to make a reasonably coloured light by mixing blue and red ones in
    the same fitting. Maybe the same approach would be needed here and
    perhaps the colour would be better if, say, 1 in 5 white LEDs were
    replaced by a yellow or orange one? I think that the problem just now
    is that the LED manufacturers are striving to produce a lamp which
    approximates daylight as closely as possible whereas we are more
    comfortable with a softer, yellower light (maybe still not really
    evolved from the use of candles??). We, here in the UK at least, are
    soon to be banned from using incandescent light bulbs in what I can
    only think is a misguided political initiative to save the planet.
    How it will work in practice I don't know as there are no
    alternatives on the horizon for all the odd shaped and sized bulbs
    currently being used in decorative domestic light fittings and I
    doubt that anyone= has done a true analysis of the environmental and
    human impact of the production and disposal of the alternative
    fluorescent and LED lights with all the phosphorus, mercury and heavy
    metals this involves (they haven't said yet whether halogen is in or
    out but halides are a very potent green house gas). However,
    politicians aside, it is interesting that, since the introduction of
    the incandescent bulb, no alternatives have been complet= ely
    acceptable especially in a domestic or small area environment -
    fluorescents are OK where there are a lot of them as in a shopping
    mall but most people wouldn't like one in their lounge due to flicker
    problems and harsh shadows, also there are still many debates about
    the ideal colour temperature of the light - discharge lighting such
    as sodium lights (which have achieved almost acceptable colours) have
    similar problems, halogen produces too 'hard' a light with dense
    shadows making some people feel uncomfortable and LED has not yet
    achieved the efficiency or softness of light needed to endear it to
    the buying public. During my 'working life' as a facilities manager,
    lighting played a significant role and one amusing fact I learned is
    that sodium lighting can cure draughts! I had one office with 35+
    girls all doing boring and repetetive computer work which was air
    conditioned and lit by basic, ceiling mounted fluorescent lights and
    I had a constant stream of complaints about cold draughts from the
    girls. So, as an experiment, I turned off the ceiling lights and
    installed a number of floor standing sodium discharge uplighters
    which gave a rosy glowto the ceiling but still a similar overall
    lighting level. The complaints stopped instantly! Go figure.... 

Best wishes,

Ian
Ian W. Wright
Sheffield UK
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