Lucide FIRMIN 45497/20/02 pendant light, opal glass with brass band, Ø 20 cm, E27, retro

FIRMIN from the Belgian brand Lucide is a compact pendant built from a single cylinder of opal glass, belted at mid-height by a wide band of matt brass. That one move decides everything: the metal band masks the middle of the shade, so light escapes above and below it, and lit, the lamp reads as two glowing rings separated by a gold belt. Switched off it is simply a milky cylinder with a brass hoop — good to look at in daylight too.

How it lights

The manufacturer describes the distribution as diffuse, all-round light. The opal glass hides the bulb completely, so there is no glare and no visible filament — the lower ring lays soft light on the surface below, the upper ring bounces it off the ceiling and lifts the surroundings. This is a mood light for a coffee table, a reading corner or a bar, and at only 20 cm across it looks best in a row: two or three do more than one over a kitchen island.

The bulb: a separate purchase

No light source is included. The socket is E27 with a maximum of 40 W. Lucide recommends its own lamp, catalogue number 49042/05/62 (EAN 5411212491152), but any standard E27 within the wattage limit will fit. Because the opal glass diffuses the light anyway, the shape of the bulb makes no visual difference here — colour temperature and output are what matter.

Dimming is possible, but it needs two things at once: a dimmable bulb and an external dimmer, which the manufacturer does not supply. The lamp itself has no control of any kind.

Installation — two things to know beforehand

First, the drop is adjustable between 50 and 150 cm, but Lucide states plainly that it is adjustable before installation. The length is set once, while fitting — this is not a lamp with a telescope or a shortening cord you can tweak after hanging. Measure the intended distance from the surface before the electrician goes up the ladder.

Second, the fitting comes without a plug — it is wired permanently into the 230 V supply, not plugged into a socket. Installation materials are included, and the round ceiling plate measures ø 12 cm by 2.5 cm high, in the same matt gold as the shade's band. The lamp is Class II, so it needs no earth conductor, and is rated IP20 — dry interiors only.

Build

The shade is glass, the mounting parts steel, finished with an electro-galvanized coating and a matt lacquer. The manufacturer calls the colour Matt Gold / Brass — a matt gold with a brassy cast, warmer and less mirror-like than polished brass, so it does not throw specular highlights from the ceiling light. The cable is black in a textile braid. Manufacturer's warranty: 2 years.

Specifications

• Model: FIRMIN; catalogue number 45497/20/02; EAN 5411212451644
• Type: pendant light, single light point, cylinder shape
• Diameter: 20 cm; drop 50–150 cm (set before installation)
• Shade: ø 15 cm, 22 cm high, opal glass with a matt brass band
• Ceiling plate: round, ø 12 cm, 2.5 cm high
• Socket: 1 × E27; maximum 40 W; 230 V
• Bulb included: no (Lucide recommends 49042/05/62)
• Dimming: yes — requires a dimmable bulb and an external dimmer (not supplied)
• Light distribution: diffuse, all-round
• Connection: hardwired, no plug; installation materials included
• Protection class: II; ingress protection: IP20 (dry interiors)
• Materials: glass (shade), steel (mounting); matt finish, electro-galvanized coating
• Style: retro
• Warranty: 2 years

Worth knowing before you order

• No E27 bulb is included — buy one separately, 40 W maximum.
• Dimming needs a separate dimmer and a dimmable bulb; the lamp has no control of its own.
• The height is set at installation — the drop cannot be changed once it is hung.
• No plug: this is a permanent connection, not a lamp for a wall socket.
• At 20 cm across, one unit is a gentle accent; over a longer table or an island, consider a set of several.