The history of the significant contribution made by the platinum metals to the development of high quality glass is presented later in this issue. Coincidently, an English language edition of a book giving the most relevant information about the many metals used in glassmaking has just been published. One twenty-three page section is concerned with the properties of the platinum metals that establish their suitability for specific applications in the glass industry. This includes a list of guidelines indicating how to ensure the most advantageous use of the platinum metals for this purpose. The literature cited covers the period up to the late 1980s, therefore no mention is made of the benefits that can accrue from the use of innovative A.C.T.^™technology, recently made available by Johnson Matthey, see Platinum Metals Rev., 1993, 37, (1), 62–70.