Bubble 1 in Pendant Light | Blackjack Lighting

Bubble is a single slender rod of cast acrylic, 1.1 inches across and 5 inches long, with a scatter of tiny air bubbles frozen inside it. Above it sits a plain 2-inch socket cap holding a small LED. When the light comes on it travels down through the solid acrylic and catches on every bubble, so the rod fills with points of light, like a column of sparkling water held still.

The appeal is in that contrast between a strict, almost architectural outline and the random, glittering interior. At just over an inch wide, one Bubble is a fine vertical accent beside a bed or above a bar; several hung at different heights read as a light installation, especially against dark walls where the bubbles seem to float. The cap comes in Matte Black for definition, White to soften the line, or Polished Chrome to add a little more shine to the sparkle.

Design notes

• Sparkle without glare: light passes through the acrylic and lights the bubbles from within, so the rod shimmers but the LED itself stays hidden.
• Slender proportion: a 1.1 in (2.8 cm) by 5 in (12.7 cm) light guide under a 2 in (5.1 cm) cap, about 7 in tall in all.
• Cast acrylic light guide: a solid, screw-in rod rather than a glass shade, made to carry light along its length.
• Composable heights: on an 8 ft cable it hangs anywhere from 6 in to 96 in below the ceiling, ready for staggered groups.
• Three cap finishes: Matte Black, White or Polished Chrome frame the rod as graphic, quiet or bright.

Specifications

Downloads

• Bubble specification sheet (PDF)
• Light Guide pendant installation instructions (PDF)
• Light Guide pendant LM-79 photometric report (PDF)
• Light Guide pendant IES file (ZIP)

Stephen Blackman and Blackjack Lighting

Blackjack Lighting is the studio of industrial designer Stephen Blackman, its President and Chief Design Officer. Trained in industrial design at Syracuse University, Blackman began his lighting career in 1984 at Sonneman Design Group, then founded Blackman Design Associates in 1988, designing decorative and architectural lighting for manufacturers including Kichler. He launched Blackjack in 2013 in suburban Chicago, now based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, to build fixtures conceived for LED from the first sketch.

His argument is that the LED should change the shape of a light, not just its efficiency. Rather than hiding a new source inside old bulb-and-shade forms, Blackjack designs around the small, flat, cool-running LED: thin discs, slim rods, glowing rings and lenses that let the light itself become the object. In his own words, "Decorative lighting by its nature is not primarily about optimizing lamp efficiency, it is primarily about decoration!" Bubble is one of those slim rods: a column of acrylic that only becomes a lamp when the LED lights the bubbles inside it.

Questions

What gives Bubble its sparkle?

Tiny air bubbles are cast into the solid acrylic rod. The LED in the cap sends light down the rod, and each bubble catches and scatters it, so the whole piece glitters.

Who designs Blackjack Lighting?

The studio is led by industrial designer Stephen Blackman, President and Chief Design Officer, who began in lighting in 1984 and founded Blackjack in 2013 around LED-first design.

Which cap finish suits the rod best?

Matte Black outlines the rod most clearly, especially in groups. White keeps the look soft in pale rooms, and Polished Chrome adds reflection that complements the sparkle.

How much light does it give, and can I dim it?

133 lumens at 3000K with a 90 CRI, a decorative glow rather than task light. The canopy driver dims on TRIAC, ELV and 0-10V controls.

What warranty does it carry?

Three years on the integrated LED source and LED power supply, and one year on materials and workmanship, for the original buyer in the US and Canada.