The Crystal Factor of a Chandelier Heirloom

The purchase of a  crystal chandelier is the beginning of a family heirloom. These hanging works of art will be passed down in your family for generations to come. Their beauty is timeless, and every chandelier crafted of fine crystal has a fascinating story of its manufacture and artistry.

Many people today don’t think that crystals are all that special. Our culture is mostly concerned with gold and diamonds. There are spiritualists, many left over from the 1960s, who believe a person can charge a crystal with their thoughts and feelings to make the stone more radiant. The prism of a crystal creates rainbows as light is refracted. This fire of color was believed by the Romans to be the fire of romantic love. Crystals have dazzled us in the past, and understanding their history better can help us appreciate their value.  To truly love your crystal chandelier, all you need is to acquire the knowledge of what makes these little stones so precious.

The Swarovski company originates from a visionary named Daniel Swarovski who in 1892 patented his electric cutting machine that used a grinding process to produce crystal glass. Swarovski is a reputable company based out of Austria that sells the finest machine cut crystal in the world. They sponsored the film version of The Phantom of the Opera and provided the crystal for the standing chandelier.

Swarovski Elements, a subsidiary company, makes crystal designs, some with an invisible coating that prevents dust build up. Every crystal bears the swan logo of Swarovski, engraved with lasers. If the chandelier is an authentic Victorian antique, it will have the previous logo on the crystal, the edelweiss flower.

The Swarovski Elements Golden Teak crystals are intriguing and dark. They’re a perfect match for luxurious deep gem tones in a room.

Swarovski Spectra offers a more affordable quality crystal for the consumer. The Spectra Crystal Chandelier is a high quality product that many will find more affordable.

Just because it’s less expensive doesn’t mean it’s not as good. This Venice Chandelier for instance is a gorgeous example of Swarovski Spectra crystals.

Hand cut clear crystal chandeliers are works of art. Every crystal is touched and crafted by human hands.

 

The hand cut clear crystals and this Blush Chandelier are a charming combination. Crystorama certainly uses its crystals to maximum effect.

They can also come in different colors, such as Golden Teak. Hand-cut crystals are polished on a wooden wheel just as they would have been hundreds of years ago. Each piece is individually crafted by an artisan, stained with silver or golden teak if requested, and then carefully polished. The subtle traces of wood left on the crystals are a testament to the artisan’s labor that went into making a chandelier as imperfect and mesmerizing as a Persian rug.