Glass Sphere 12 in Pendant Light | Blackjack Lighting

The Glass Sphere pendant is built on an illusion. A 12-inch ball of perfectly clear glass hangs from a slim metal socket, and inside it a small cylinder of light seems to float in the middle of the sphere with nothing holding it. The glass is so transparent that, unlit, the pendant almost disappears, leaving only a fine cable, a short metal collar and a soft reflection where the curve of the globe catches the room.

The trick is the LED. Because the light source is a compact integrated module rather than a bulb, it can be shaped as a short glowing cylinder suspended at the centre of the sphere, and it runs cool enough to sit inside closed glass. Switched on, the sphere becomes a lens: the cylinder glows, the glass picks up highlights around its edge, and the pendant reads as a bubble of light rather than a lamp. The socket finish sets the tone, from graphic Matte Black to soft White or bright Polished Chrome.

Design notes

• Light that floats: a glowing LED cylinder held at the centre of a clear sphere, with the source visible but never glaring.
• Clear glass sphere: 12 in (30.5 cm) across and 12.8 in (32.5 cm) tall with its neck, transparent enough to vanish when off.
• Minimal socket: a slim metal collar and fine cable, so the glass and the light do the visual work.
• Mounting choices: a 5 in canopy with built-in driver, a 2.5 in fascia canopy, a multi-port connector for groups, or a JackTrack adapter.
• Socket finishes: Matte Black, White or Polished Chrome.

Specifications

Downloads

• Glass Sphere 12 in specification sheet (PDF)
• Glass Sphere installation instructions (PDF)

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!" The Glass Sphere shows it plainly: a cool-running LED cylinder suspended in clear glass, where a bulb could never sit.

Questions

Why does the light seem to float?

The LED is shaped as a short glowing cylinder held at the centre of a clear glass sphere. With no bulb, frosting or visible structure, the cylinder appears suspended in mid-air.

Who designs Blackjack Lighting?

Industrial designer Stephen Blackman, President and Chief Design Officer, who has designed lighting since 1984 and founded Blackjack in 2013 to make fixtures built around LED.

Which socket finish and mounting should I choose?

Matte Black gives a crisp graphic accent above the glass, White blends with pale ceilings, and Polished Chrome adds sparkle. For a single pendant on a junction box, the 5 in canopy includes the driver; the fascia canopy, multi-port connector and JackTrack adapter need a separate driver or system.

What is the light like?

368 lumens at 3000K with a 90 CRI: a soft, warm glow seen through clear glass, ideal as decorative light over a table or island, often in a group. The driver dims with TRIAC, ELV or 0-10V controls.

What warranty does it carry?

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