AR glass (anti reflective)

[Luke D]

I’m debating adding AR glass to the available options in my shop. I currently carry clear, conservation clear, and museum. I just stopped carrying reflection control and conservation reflection control because of low sales and its hazy qualities. I don’t think people want more clarity. I’ve used the ultra view but my supplier stopped carrying it in favor of the AR glass. The AR glass is similar to ultra view, but it seems like going a step up in price from conservation clear but with a step down (less UV protection) might not be worth it. The only positive I could see is having a less expensive option closer to museum. Thoughts?

[prospero]

I use TruVue UV70 in addition to std stuff. If you have a demonstrator (mine has butterflies) it sells itself.

I find going for Museum is a tad OTT in most cases. If something is lighfast it's not necessary and if it's not then
a high UV resistance rating will not prevent it. It might slow it down, but not prevent it.

[WannabeFramer]

I now tend to give a price for standard and AR70 automatically, whilst showing the demo frame (mine has sunflowers) and holding a sampler in front of their picture. I would say 30-40% go for the AR70 and that percentage is growing. It sells itself like Prospero says.

If someone wants UV protection I offer conservation clear or museum, but I don’t keep it in stock.

I have a customer who is gradually bringing me many of their old frames in, just to re-glaze with AR70. I used to buy it one sheet at a time, but I recently bit the bullet and bought a whole box for better value as I am using it much more. (I’m low volume so a big outlay for me).

[JKX]

A POS comparison frame with Standard glass on one side and AR70 on the other, looks no different than one with con clear one side and museum glass the other side.

You can see the AR coating working, but you cannot see conservation working. You can also have a black light sample though, where UV light shone through standard glass makes white paper purple, but through conservation glass, it stays white

You're based in the USA, many franers there use con clear as standard and upgrade to museum. To keep things simple it may be an idea to price everything with con clear and explain that optical coating is an option - museum glass. If that is too expensive THEN start talking about anti-reflective non conservation glass. Then they have three choices, protection, clarity, or both. There is also the option of non at all - standard glass, but starting from that probably won't get the museum glass sale. My experience was that everyone wanted the "invisble-ness" but not the cost of museum glass, and I was selling AR 70 on things that really should have had better protection,

I find going for Museum is a tad OTT in most cases. If something is lighfast it's not necessary and if it's not then
a high UV resistance rating will not prevent it. It might slow it down, but not prevent it.

This, once again, is not true - well it may be true about the slowing down, but displayed in ideal conditions, that could be a very, very long time, even for fugitive mediums AND supports.

One not needing it and one going to fade or self destruct anyway, comes over as conservation glass (and conservation in general actually) being a bit of a waste of time, when lightfast mediums are NOT fade proof. They just last longer, in certain conditions, than lower quality mediums. "Lighfast" is about as meaningful as "acid free"

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[JKX]

If someone wants UV protection I offer conservation clear or museum, but I don’t keep it in stock.

Do you wait to be asked for it, or suggest it - I mean mostly for the conservation aspect? Con clear (or artglass 99) is cheaper than AR 70, so if you can stock that ......?

.

[WannabeFramer]

I do suggest it where I think it is warranted and will push if I think it really needs it. The latest being a signed shirt that is having conservation clear. I’ve found my customers prefer the AR70 look but not the cost of museum, so AR70 wins out.

Con clear is just space and extra outlay really, I tend to order stock little and often so I will buy a sheet when needed. Museum I get cut to size as I am a coward

[Justintime]

When you say AR glass do you mean "Reflection Control" glass? That is hazy and has no place in modern framing imo. It's terrible stuff!
The AR UV70 by Truevue or Artglass however is my best seller. I take the sampler off the wall and hold it in front of them, job done. I always quote the final price with AR first then float glass, if they want a price comparison that is.
Once it's you're best seller and you're buying it by the box, you can negotiate a discount based in an estimated monthly/annual quantity.

[JKX]

AR =‘anti reflective as opposed to NR non reflective or AG - anti glare.

Framing terminology eh!

Optically coated and “that nasty acid etched stuff” works for me.

AR also stands for abrasion resistant (acrylic) - so is optically coated abrasion resistant acrylic called ARAR?