Crystal glass is a material we often hear about, but what separates it from glass? 

Soda-lime glass makes up the majority of the glass we use. It’s categorized by chemical composition and application. Cups, bottles, jars, and other everyday consumer items can be safely assumed to be made of container glass. Where most windows and architectural glass are plate glass. While this glass does its job, containing food, water, or the indoors, it is hardly the potential that this material can reach.

Crystal glass stands head and shoulders over its predecessor, being clearer and more brilliant with that signature clink. Once made with the addition of lead, today's crystal has the same brilliance as the past without the risk to your health.

The History of Crystal

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.

Glass products were a luxury during this time, taking the form of decorative beads and false gems. These crafts had lower lead content than what we would find in contemporary and even medieval glass, suggesting that the properties that lead gives to glass were not top of mind. 

Crystal wouldn’t make a large mark in the Western World until the Medieval era. Europe’s deposits of lead were numerous, and with the coming tide of Christianity came the need to revere The Creator and render his beauty onto his world. This took the form of stained glass windows and tessera mosaics, creating sanctuaries that exalted the mundane.

With the glass craft growing and knowledge of the trade spreading across Europe came a man named George Ravenscroft, who would industrialize the manufacturing of clear lead glassware. A staple of aristocratic tableware, wine sommeliers, and the upperclass, two hundred years later, industrialization would lead to Crystal being in the households of the common man.

Today, we understand the impact of lead on human health, and as such, companies have substituted lead with zinc or barium oxide, maintaining Crystal's unique properties while protecting the health of customers. 

Why is Crystal so Sought After?

Simply put, the clarity and designs that crystal allows the glassware to hold, along with its history. Crystal was the drinkware of the upper class due to the beauty, craftsmanship, and skill required to create these crafts. With such a storied history, these items elevate the night beyond a meager dining affair into a dialogue of history and art.

Crystal, specifically with wine sommeliers, is the preferred material for decanters and glasses. The chemical composition of Crystal aerates the drink, revealing hidden aromas and tasting notes. Thinner rims enhance the drinking experience, allowing the wine to transition seamlessly from glass to palate. 

Whiskey decanters, those meant to hold spirits, can aerate your liquor as well, having the same effect, while heightening the night by housing your spirit in Crystal glass.