Entry No. 56 — the Durango file — filed under: hands-on
Sun Sapphires
This Main Avenue glass-art and fine-jewelry shop runs beginner-friendly stained and fused glass classes year-round, and uniquely accepts walk-ins for fused glass when there's space. The four-hour beginner stained glass workshop walks you through pattern transfer, copper foiling, and soldering, and you take your finished suncatcher home the same day. Materials are included and no experience is required. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays.
The story
You don't just stumble into Sun Sapphires off Main Avenue's sidewalk. You have to know to step off the strip, cut through a hidden courtyard at 640 Main, and climb the stairs to Suite 101. Up here, fine gemstone jewelry shares bench space with soldering irons, rolls of copper foil, and racks of colorful glass. While ground-floor storefronts sell pre-packaged Southwestern souvenirs to tourists passing through, this second-floor hideaway hands you a glass cutter and safety glasses and expects you to make your own.
The operation runs as a working fine-jewelry and stained-glass studio that double-functions as an accessible workshop floor. The vibe is practical rather than gallery-preachy. Instead of locking you into a multi-week semester, they offer single-day access to glass craft: daily fused glass projects where you lay out mosaic designs for the kiln, or intensive four-hour stained glass workshops where you cut, wrap glass edges in copper foil, and run hot solder along every seam.
What it's like
Head into the courtyard at 640 Main Avenue and take the staircase up to Suite 101. If you turn up unannounced, fused glass is your main bet—walk-ins are accepted almost daily whenever worktable space opens up. For the four-hour stained glass sessions, you must book ahead for their dedicated Wednesday or Sunday slots. Expect a real working environment: you will measure, grind glass edges, wrap copper tape, and solder joints using hot irons, walking out at the end of the session with your own finished panel or suncatcher in hand.
The move: Spend a Sunday afternoon cutting, foiling, and soldering a small stained glass panel together and walk out with two finished pieces.
📍 Before you go Walk-ins are fused-glass only with limited space; book stained glass ahead. Closed Mondays.
- 📍 Downtown Durango
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 640 Main Ave, Suite 101, Durango, CO 81301
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Bookcase and Barber — Trade soldering irons and glass dust for a password-protected cocktail just a short block away.
- Mend Metalworks — Double down on hands-on fabrication skills by combining a glass session with a four-hour silversmithing class three blocks over.
- Pots & Pints at Durango Arts Center — Swap sharp glass cutters for wet clay and a drink down the street if you want another casual, single-session art night.
Good to know
Do I need to make a reservation before going?
Walk-ins are allowed almost daily for fused glass if worktable space is available, but stained glass workshops (held Wednesdays and Sundays) require booking ahead.
Where exactly is the studio inside 640 Main Ave?
It is tucked away on the upper floor—walk through the ground-level courtyard and take the stairs up to Suite 101.
What is the difference between fused glass and stained glass classes?
Fused glass involves arranging glass pieces to be melted together in a kiln, while the four-hour stained glass workshop teaches pattern cutting, copper foiling, and active hand-soldering with a hot iron.
What days is Sun Sapphires open?
The studio is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · durango.org · whatshappeningdurango.com
last checked: 2026-06-23