STORM GLASS
Get yourself a Storm Glass, to add a scientific touch to your decor. This Storm Barometer predicts the coming weather in the most beautiful way, thanks to the formation of crystals in the glass.
£19,99
From £26,99
From £40,49
£72,99
£42,49
What is a storm glass?
A storm glass is a sealed glass vessel containing a solution of camphor, potassium nitrate and ammonium chloride in alcohol and water. As the weather changes, crystals form, dissolve or drift in patterns that were once read as a forecast: clear liquid for fair weather, feathery crystals for cold, cloudy liquid for rain. Admiral Robert FitzRoy carried one on HMS Beagle in the 1830s and popularised it in Britain.
10 modelsFrom £19.99Teardrop, cylinder, globe or GoetheNo batteries, no maintenanceFree UK delivery over £45
Who is this collection for?
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For a windowsill that deserves a weather station
A storm glass or a Goethe barometer reads the sky in crystals or water levels. Decor that changes with the weather.
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For a gardener, a sailor or a walker
Parents, friends and colleagues after a gift with a story: Admiral FitzRoy carried a storm glass on the Beagle.
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For anyone who enjoys a scientific curiosity
The chemistry of the storm glass is still not fully explained. The Goethe barometer is pure air pressure.
How to choose a storm glass
Shape and size are the main choices: a classic teardrop for a desk, a tall cylinder for a shelf, a globe or a Goethe water barometer for a windowsill.
| Type | Best for | Height | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teardrop storm glass | Desks, first weather glass | 12 to 15 cm | £20 to £35 |
| Cylinder and bottle storm glass | Shelves, bookcases | 18 to 25 cm | £35 to £50 |
| Globe and wooden base models | Gifts, mantelpieces | 10 to 15 cm | £40 to £77 |
| Goethe barometer (water) | Windowsills, real air pressure | 15 to 25 cm | £22 to £40 |
A storm glass needs a few days to settle after delivery and reacts best away from radiators and direct sun. The Goethe barometer reads air pressure through a water level and is the only one that is genuinely a barometer.
The science in two lines
Camphor is far less soluble in cold alcohol than in warm, so crystals grow as the temperature drops and dissolve as it rises. What drives the shapes, temperature alone or also pressure and humidity, is still argued over, which is part of the charm.
The Goethe barometer is simpler: air pressure on the open spout pushes the water level down when the weather is fair and lets it rise before rain.
Our three bestsellers
£19,99
Storm Glass: your questions, answered
Does a storm glass actually work?
A storm glass reacts to temperature and pressure changes, forming visual crystal patterns. It's more decorative than scientifically proven as a precise forecaster.
Where should a storm glass be placed?
On a windowsill or shelf away from direct sunlight and heat sources, so it reacts to true ambient conditions.
How do you read a storm glass?
Clear liquid signals bright weather, cloudy liquid suggests overcast skies, and crystal formations indicate colder or stormy conditions ahead.
Free UK delivery over £45 and 30 days to return it. For a temperature reading rather than a forecast, the Galileo thermometers use the same idea of floating density.