Commemorating a recently marked milestone or anniversary, or recognizing a special achievement with a crystal award is becoming increasingly popular. From plaques to bowls and obelisks, the clarity and sparkling brilliance of crystal makes for a wide variety of breathtakingly beautiful awards.

There are several different types of crystal that are used in creating awards. The most common is called optic, or optical, crystal. This type of crystal is known for its hardness and clarity, as well as for the fact that it is completely lead-free. Optic crystal uses pressure, and not lead oxide, during its manufacturing process to eliminate bubbles and other imperfections. Due to the process of pressurization involved in its manufacture, it is only available in sheets, and is not suitable to the production of glassware. It is generally used only to create solid form awards such as obelisks and engraved plaques.

By introducing special additives to the manufacturing process, optic crystal can be colored black. In this form, it is often used as the base for a sculpture or figurine.

Starfire is another type of lead-free crystal manufactured in a similar process. This crystal is known for its slight blue tint. There is some dispute amongst connoisseurs, however, as to whether or not Starfire should be considered a real crystal due to its lack of perfect clarity.

Jade crystal falls into the same family, and has a somewhat greenish tint. This crystal type is quite often used in the design of corporate awards.

When people think of crystal, they most often envision gorgeous glasses that emit a clear ringing note when delicately tapped with the tines of a fork. The type of crystal that they actually have in mind is called ‘full lead crystal’, and is named for the lead oxide used in its manufacture. Lead oxide has been used to eliminate bubbles and other defects since crystal was first created. Full lead crystal is still blown by teams of glass makers, giving it a greater flexibility in form and design than optic crystal. Awards shaped as bowls, vases and figurines are made using it.

Only crystal that contains a minimum of 24% lead oxide is considered to be “full lead”.

Two and three-dimensional etched images are another form of award currently gaining in popularity. These thoroughly stunning and lifelike images are made by focusing a laser so that it will create a microscopic crack deep inside of the crystal. Because it is not possible to draw a continuous line, the laser must be repositioned and the process repeated hundreds of thousands of times in order to complete the image. Only absolutely bubble and flaw-free crystal can be used in the making of one of these awards, or the laser may not be able to accurately hit its target and the image will be ruined. The surface must also be completely flat, making it very difficult, but not impossible, to create an etching inside of a sphere or other irregularly shaped piece of crystal.

A crystal award is a beautiful memento that is sure to be treasured for years to come.

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