Crystals are being used in chandeliers since the late 16th century. Before that, candles were used in chandeliers. You may know afore, chandeliers were invented in order to hold candles in a place where they can light up an entire room and also prevent fires. For this reason, chandeliers were named as such. Later, crystals and then bulbs were added.
Candles are no longer in use today, but crystals never left the market because of their high demand. As a result, many varieties of chandelier crystals can now be found on the market. In this article, we will examine the types of chandelier crystals and the merits and demerits of each.
Various Types of Crystals for Chandelier
Crystals are made of glasses, but they aren’t normal glass. These glasses are mixed with lead oxide, which makes the glasses more heavy and reflective. Don’t you worry about the lead oxide? You shouldn’t, because the lead oxide used in crystals isn’t hazardous at all. Moreover, crystals give a prism-like effect to compliment the chandelier and the room. Six types of crystals for chandelier are described here for you:
1. Machine cut Crystals
They are known as Swarovski crystals worldwide for their finest structure. The Swarovskis follow a general old secret process to make their glass. In some places, these are known as Australian crystals as it is their place of origin. These strass crystals are available in diverse colors and cut in several perfect shapes by machine. That’s why these crystals have smooth finishing with a wide range of varieties.
2. Hand-cut Crystals
The process of making these crystals is time-consuming and has been followed for many centuries. These regal crystals are cut by hand first on an iron and then on a sandstone grinding wheel. After two stages of the cut, it is polished on a wood wheel. This authentic crystal-making process was invented in Turkey for royal families. In the process of making these crystals, they are polished with marble dust for smooth finishing. Tho they can be not so smooth but expensive.
3. Egyptian Crystals
These crystals are also known as Moroccan or Gemcut crystals as they are the first and best quality machine-cut ones. They are flawless in texture and among all the crystals these have the most lead oxide. For this, it has more brightness and shine. Though to maintain this shine you would have to clean these deeply once in 2 months.
4. Italian or Venetian Crystals
These crystals have a legacy of being molded. They aren’t hand-cut or machine-cut instead hand-molded and fire-polished. This process makes these crystals most smooth and flawless than others. They are made from Murano glasses and come from Venice, Italy. They have an affordable price compared to the cut crystals.
5. Chinese (K9) Crystals
These are the most popular crystals used in chandeliers because of their submissive nature. In the name, the “K” stands for “krone”, which is the German for a crown as these glasses are easy to use for making a crown. And the “9” refers to the only 9% lead oxide that they have in their texture.
At first, they were officially named Chinese Optical Borosilicate Crown Crystal. You can see how hard it is to memorize and call, so the short name gained popularity. These crystals are lighter in weight and not hard to cut or shape. Also comes at an affordable price.
6. Spectra Crystals
This is a special glass also manufactured by Swarovski AG. These crystals have a very limited edition.
Different Kinds of Crystal Cuts
No matter what type of glass you use in your crystals, it is the cuts that create the aesthetic What Is The Best Chandelier For High Ceiling | Explainedbeauty of a chandelier. So here are some of the names of the cuts for you, now you can say the name of your desired cut to the seller and choose a perfect crystal chandelier for decorating your name.
- Baguette- If the crystal is cut in a long, thin, rectangular shape at parallel then it’s baguette cut. One side of this cut may be flat and it’s also named “colonial”.
- Cut Ball- This shape is round like a ball with many triangular facets. The finial cut is the same as this cut.
- Diamond- The crystal is shaped like a diamond, cut in parallel.
- French- Cut in a pear shape at one side and flat on the other.
- Hexagonal prism– It looks like a prism with six long, thin points.
- Icicle- Points are short and thin. The crystal looks like ice.
- Pear- Facets are shaped as teardrop and diamond. Same as French cut but wide and not so detailed.
- Octagon- Eight-sided, each side can have a different shape.
- Rosette- Shaped like a rose.
- Square stone- Four-sided, every side is a little pointy in the exact middle. Looks like an X, with pointy middle.
- Spear- Shaped like a one-headed spear’s pointy end.
- Pyramid- Cut and gave the shape of a pyramid.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Type of Crystals are Used in Chandeliers?
In general Swarovski, Gumcut, Turkish, Italian, K9 crystals are used in chandeliers. All of them have lead in them, more or less. K9 and Italian crystals are low in price than others but all of them are great in quality. So you can choose any of them.
What are the Crystals Hanging from a Chandelier Called?
Crystals are used in chandeliers in many shapes, colors, and sizes to add an elegant appearance. These crystals have another name that isn’t used by us much, pendalogue or pendeloque.
Is the Crystal from a Chandelier Worth Anything?
Sometimes you don’t like your chandelier, so you want to sell it. Then you’ll be happy to know that nothing is worthless. If the condition of the chandelier and crystals are new, unharmed, and unscratched then you can sell it at more than half of the buying price. Moreover, if the chandelier turns out an antique then you’ll get a high price. Even if the chandelier and crystals are not new or antique, if it is in a good condition you can sell it.
Conclusion
Every crystal is unique, shiny, shimmery, and flawless in its own way. It is completely up to you which crystal you want on your chandelier. If you are looking for an affordable crystal chandelier, K9 is a perfect choice. Their low price is due to the fact that they have less lead and are easily shaped.
No matter what type of crystals you use on a chandelier, you must take care of them. Clean them with a spray and use a cloth to wipe them down. This method is quick and easy.
