Cristalier Crystals – Amber Faceted Crystal Ball
Cristalier Crystals – Amber Faceted Crystal Ball
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If you are searching online for a Chandelier Crystals (or any other light fixture with crystals), you need to know the facts about the chandelier crystals that are used in the wide variety of fixtures available today. This important information will help you make the right purchasing decision for your style, room and budget. Plus, you can impress your friends and family with your new found knowledge about chandelier bling!
The basics of chandelier crystals
All crystals are made of glass. However, the glass used to craft chandelier crystals is very different from the glass in your windows, drinking cups, eyeglasses and so on. Crystal contains lead oxide, which gives it more weight and more refraction than normal glass. This means crystal is more brilliant, sparkles more and is prismatic.
Lead oxide content is important in crystals for chandeliers, but it is also safe for the health of consumers. The rule is that the more lead oxide there is in the crystal, the better it reflects light, so a higher lead oxide content is better. There are three broad types of lead oxide content:
1. Crystalline is glass with 6 to 10 percent lead oxide, though American standards allow clear glass with any amount of lead oxide to be called crystal.
2. Half lead designation means 24 percent to 30 percent lead oxide.
3. Full lead crystal is anything over 30 percent lead oxide.
There are three basic methods of crafting crystals for chandeliers: machine cut, hand cut and hand-blown.
Machine cut crystals produce sharp facets, precise polishing and visual purity.
Hand cut crystals are sometimes crafted with traditional methods that use irons and sandstone wheels for cutting, followed by polishing on a wood wheel with marble dust in it. But hand-cut crystals are also made with more modern methods. Some varieties of hand-cut crystals include Czech, Heritage, Regal, Crystalique and Turkish.
Venetian and Murano crystals are hand-blown by artisans instead of cut, so the crystals have smooth, rounded edges. The mouth-blown craftsmanship results in one-of-a-kind heirloom quality pieces that are works of art.
Types of chandelier crystals
Now that you know the three basic methods of crystal crafting, here are some crystal types that you may see when shopping for chandeliers.
Rock crystal chandeliers – https://www.cristalier.com Rock crystals (shown from the Schonbek Versailles) were seen in the earliest crystal chandeliers, which date back to the 16th century and displaced actual wax candles as the method of amplifying and reflecting light. However, genuine rock crystal chandeliers are usually only seen in palaces and museums these days. Rock crystals are actually as old as the Earth itself and each one is unique, created by geological events that took place over millions of years. Cool to the touch, rock crystals are natural and must be mined, cut and polished by gem cutters.
Colored crystal chandeliers – Colored crystals are used in many different types of chandeliers for different effects. Pretty much any color you can think of can be shown in a colored crystal. The color is coated onto the crystals. In the large picture of the chandelier at the start of this article–the Savoy House Rothchild–the crystals are colored in a champagne hue.
Murano crystal chandeliers – Hailing from Venice, Italy, Venetian crystal is molded and not cut. It often has round edges from fire polishing, plus it contains soda and lime instead of lead oxide, so it looks softer. It is not as brilliant as cut crystal, but is a good budget option for certain customers. Similarly, Murano crystals are mouth-blown and can be shaped into circles, flowers and other shapes, as seen in the ET2 Fiori shown here. They can also be colored.
Egyptian or Gemcut crystals have a high lead oxide content. They are clear, sharp and flawless, but not as optically pure as Swarovski crystals.
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