A fascinating tool used since the 1750s by ship travellers and even Charles Darwin! The Storm glass, a barometer that mysteriously predicts the weather: visible crystals mean wet and foggy weather, a cloudy glass with small crystals tells you that a storm is on the way, and a clear glass means clear weather.
- Storm glass
- Shape: drop
- Placed on a wooden tray
- Very elegant packaging
- Material: glass and wood
- Dimensions: 22 x 11.5 cm
The story: Captain of the British ship "The Beagle" in 1750, Admiral Fitzroy had the idea of mixing distilled water, ethanol, potassium nitrate, ammonium chloride and camphor in a glass bottle to predict the weather on his sea voyages. By taking regular observations of the shape and distribution of the crystals forming in the bottle, as well as the weather, he discovered the mechanism he had just created. He recorded his results in his famous "Weather Book" on observing and forecasting the weather, but it was only in 1859, after a powerful storm, that the British Crown extended the use of the instrument to all ports and ships in the Empire.
Fun fact: it is mentioned in the works of Jules Verne and Victor Hugo.
More reliable than your weather app, and easier than watching the clouds and stars, storm glass is easy to use.
Place the storm glass in a cool place, close to a window but away from direct sunlight, heating or air conditioning.
Watch crystals form, or not.
- Transparent liquid: fine weather
- Cloudy liquid: rainy (or even stormy) weather
- Flaky crystals: snowy weather
- Crystal nets: windy weather
- The more the liquid clouds and forms crystals, the more the weather deteriorates.
- The higher the crystals, the colder it gets
NB: It will take 1 to 2 weeks after receipt for the storm glass to be fully operational. Be careful not to touch it or move it, as this will distort its predictions!
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France
