Colored glasses

The most important distinction is not the shade but how the color gets into the glass. With through-colored glass, the pigment is part of the glass itself, melted in the furnace. With coated glass, there is a layer on the outside, and such a layer can become scratched or dull. The series on this page are through-colored, so the shade stays exactly as it is.

Then look at the size and use. A Duralex Picardie 25 cl is a classic everyday water glass, a 35 cl tumbler has room for ice and works well for a long drink, and colored long drink glasses of around 35 cl comfortably hold a gin and tonic with tonic and ice cubes without spilling over the rim. If you want to mix them, shades from the same family create a calmer look than mixing separate bright colors. Assorted sets make that choice for you and immediately provide six different shades.

On the table, colored glass works best as an accent. Place one color next to clear glassware and the eye gets a rest; use color everywhere and the table becomes visually busy. In daylight, light shades look their best, while deep shades gain depth in candlelight.

For cocktails, the choice of color also matters. A blue drink in a blue glass disappears, while that same Blue Lagoon stands out in clear or lightly tinted glass. Conversely, an amber-colored glass makes a colorless drink look warmer. The same applies to pink cocktails : choose a shade that complements the drink rather than overpowering it. If you pour from a cocktail shaker, strain it well, because ice chips are less noticeable in colored glass but still change the drink. Also keep in mind that it is harder to see the fill level through deeply tinted glass. So when using dark shades, pour a little more carefully, or use a measuring cup, so that every glass on the table receives the same amount.

Coloured glass asks no more care than clear glass, as long as it is coloured through. Every series here is dishwasher safe. Do not wedge them tightly against each other in the rack, because glasses knocking together eventually cause small chips along the rim, which are more visible in coloured glass than in clear.

Tempered glass, such as the French tumblers, is clearly more impact resistant than ordinary soda-lime glass and therefore sensible around children or outdoors on the terrace. Coloured crystal glass is thinner and finer at the rim and belongs on a laid table indoors. If a glass takes on a dull haze after long dishwasher use, that is almost always limescale and not loss of colour; washing it once by hand in water with a little vinegar takes it off.

If you prefer clear glassware in the same shape, take a look at the tumblers. If you’re looking for the French, slightly nostalgic appearance with embossed glass, you’ll find it at La Rochère. If you’re more interested in the atmosphere of old glass than in color, the vintage glasses section is the logical next step. If you ended up here because you were specifically looking for colored highball glasses, you’ll find the complete selection in that shape at highball glasses , with colored and clear options side by side.