Gradient Pendant Light | Blackjack Lighting

Gradient is a slim cylinder of cast acrylic, 1.1 inches across and 5 inches long, ringed with fine laser-etched bands. Near the cap the bands sit close together; toward the bottom they spread apart and finally stop, leaving the tip clear. When the LED in the cap is switched on, light runs down the rod and every etched line catches it, so the pendant glows brightest at the top and fades gradually into transparency.

It is a study in rhythm more than a lamp in the usual sense. The changing spacing of the lines gives a small, static object a sense of movement, like a scale or a column of sound. Hung singly it is a refined accent over a counter or bedside; massed at different heights, as the maker shows it, the lit bands set up a shimmering vertical pattern across a whole ceiling. The socket in Matte Black, White or Polished Chrome frames the rod as a crisp graphic element, a soft one, or a bright one.

Design notes

• Light that fades: etched bands dense at the top and open toward the tip make the glow graduate from bright to clear.
• Slender scale: a 1.1 in (2.8 cm) by 5 in (12.7 cm) light guide under a 2 in (5.1 cm) socket, about 7 in overall.
• Cast acrylic light guide: a solid, screw-in rod that carries light along its length; the LED source is replaceable.
• Room for composition: an 8 ft cable lets it hang from 6 in to 96 in, so groups can be layered at different heights.
• Three socket finishes: Matte Black, White or Polished Chrome.

Specifications

Downloads

• Gradient 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!" Gradient turns one of those slim rods into pure pattern, with light written along it in fading lines.

Questions

How does the gradient effect work?

Bands are laser-etched into the acrylic rod, close together near the socket and wider apart toward the tip. Light from the LED catches each band, so the glow is strongest at the top and fades toward the clear end.

Who designs Blackjack Lighting?

The studio is led by industrial designer Stephen Blackman, President and Chief Design Officer, who has worked in lighting since 1984 and founded Blackjack in 2013.

Which socket finish works best?

Matte Black gives the clearest outline and suits groups against light walls. White keeps the fixture airy in pale rooms, while Polished Chrome adds a bright reflective note above the etched bands.

How much light does it give, and can it be dimmed?

133 lumens at 3000K with a 90 CRI, a decorative glow suited to accents and groupings. 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.