Whether setting a formal table or an upscale casual setting, there is a beautiful fine crystal selection to coordinate with your style. Fine Crystal can be sleek and contemporary, as well as decoratively cut. If you are looking to coordinate your china with your crystal, keep in mind the design on your china when making your selections, to ensure they complement each other on your table.
Constructing Fine Crystal
All glassware, regardless of its quality begins with molten glass. The content of the glass will always be what distinguishes its quality.
Lead Content
Although you will find sand, ash and limestone in most glass content, the addition of lead oxide will be what is found in crystal. Lead content results in unique translucency, clarity, a fine edge and color. From the manufacturing side, the addition of lead actually makes the glass easier to cut... seen in the unique beauty of many of the crystal stemware pieces found available today.
Manufacturing Processes
There are two main methods to manufacture glassware, either by hand or by machine. The finest quality crystal will be blown and cut by mouth and hand. It will have a brilliant luster and clarity and will be heavy weighted. Fine Crystal will have flawless translucency and it will have a beautiful ring when tapped.
Common Glasses and Their Uses
Confused about all the different types of glasses - the shapes, the names, the sizes and what they are supposed to be used for? Click here for our detailed crystal stemware style guide .
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