Reddish orange and green luminescent Eu3+ and Tb3+:B2O3-ZnO-PbO glasses have been developed to investigate their spectral properties from the measurement of their XRD, DSC, absorption, excitation and emission profiles. Direct and indirect optical band gaps have been calculated based on the glasses UV absorption spectra. The PL spectrum of Eu3+:glass has shown five emission transitions (D-5(0) -> F0-4) at 579 nm, 591 run, 614 nm, 653 nm and 703 nm with excitation wavelength at 392 nm (F-7(0) -> L-5(0). Similarly Tb3+ :glass has revealed four emission bands (D-5(4) -> F-7(6,5,4) (and 3)) wat 489 nm, 543 nm, 587 nm and 623 nm with 377 nm (F-7(6) -> L-5(6) as the excitation wavelength. Upon exposure to an UV source (254 nm), Eu3+ or Tb3+:BZP glasses have shown bright reddish orange or strong green colours. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.