by Jasper H
Crystal glass is a material we often hear about, but what separates it from glass? Crystal glass owes its distinction historically to its lead content. This inclusion lent the glass a higher refractive index, lower viscosity, and lower working temperature, allowing artisans to create clearer and more intricate designs than soda-lime. Our earliest record of what we today call crystal dates back to Mesopotamia, around 1400 BC.