In this article I will give you the solution.

You will discover how to verify the authenticity of your crystal objects.

It's not complicated.

Have you ever asked yourself these questions about a crystal item you own?

-Did I get a good deal or a bad deal?

-Are the pieces I have really made of crystal?

Are you wondering if what you bought or what you were given is of good quality?

If these products are too fragile to be used regularly, how will you maintain them?

You are in uncertainty and by reading this article you will finally be able to be reassured and know what you have.

You ask yourself: "When will I be able to use these crystal glasses that I was given?"

So you don't even dare to take them out.

You're too afraid to break them.

But deep down.

You don't know if it's actually crystal?

So I'm going to tell you the first thing you need to know about crystal.

Density.

We all found ourselves with a crystal glass in our hands and said to ourselves: "Wow!!! That must be fragile, I hope I don't break it..."

But no, you are wrong.

Crystal is stronger than glass.

Due to the addition of lead oxide, the density of the crystal is twice that of glass.

In fact, you will see that for an equivalent size, a crystal glass and a glass glass have a weight that can vary from single to double.

Often when I am at the store I do the test.

I take two glasses and I hit them together quite hard and then the customers are often scared. And say: "watch out!!!"

This is a normal reaction but they are mistaken because I am showing them that the crystal is very resistant.

Especially if it is of very good quality.

But you must be thinking: “OK! But how do I know if my glasses are good quality?”

I'll tell you how to tell if it's quality glass.

To make things easier, let's take the example of two glasses that I make in my workshop.

• A whisky glass from the glacier service and the oenologist glass from the traditional service .

I chose these two glasses because they are different in shape, size and the manufacturing technique is not the same.

However, some things do not change from one crystal glass to another and they are very simple to determine.

Step 1: Check the stamp.

The first thing to do to know if a glass is of quality is to check if it is signed.

Here are some examples of stamps:

The Baccarat stamp:

The Daum stamp:

The Saint Louis stamp:

The Lalique stamp:

And here is the stamp of the Crystal Artisan :

Cristal Klein 54120 Baccarat France

The most famous houses have a tradition of signing their pieces with a stamp, generally engraved by sandblasting.

Which leaves no doubt as to the origin and quality of the products.

But be careful!!

For very old pieces, they were not stamped at the time, a small round paper label stuck under the object attested to the origin.

As you may have noticed, the stamp is often found under the object or on the side.

Now it will be easier for you to know what you have in your hands. But sometimes there will be no signature that's why I'm going to give you other tips.

Step 2: Look at the refraction of light.

The goal is that you can see with the naked eye if it is indeed crystal and judge its quality.

So you say to yourself: “Wow!! You must be an expert!!”

But no.

The crystal, thanks to the addition of lead oxide, will have an incomparable brilliance and when it comes into contact with a light source at certain angles it will decompose the spectrum of light like a rainbow.

Therefore, when you want to make sure that a glass is indeed crystal, observe the brightness when it is in contact with light.

It should never have a grayish or green appearance but should be extremely clear.

In the case of cut glass, the play of light on the cut should send reflections of colors like a rainbow.

Now you are experts!!

And there you think of something we've all done.

Test the sound of a glass.

So there you say to yourself: "I know that, I've already done it, the glass has to make a nice noise, which is also very singable."

But be careful. On this point it is appropriate to provide clarification because one can hear and read anything and everything.

Step 3: Test the sound.

The sound is determined primarily by the shape of a glass, but also by its thickness, and whether it is footless or footed greatly influences the sound produced.

However, for the same size, a crystal glass will have a clearer sound and will last longer than a glass glass. This is called its crystalline sound.

So you were right you can test the sound of the glass but be careful it will be different from one crystal glass to another.

As you know, a quality crystal glass is a hand-cut, mouth-blown glass.

This is why after stamping, light, and sound it is important that you check the finish of the glass.

Then you can ask me: “how can we know if the glass is handmade?”

It's simple.

Step 4: Hand-made.

When you take your glass in hand and observe it carefully.

You may notice slight irregularities, which in no way constitute a defect. On the contrary, it is the signature of handmade work.

You have probably already noticed that some glasses have a rounded edge and others have a flatter edge.

This edge is important to observe to properly judge the quality of your glass.

You have all already seen a glassblower in a photo or in real life.

I myself know the subject well because I started blowing glass at the age of 15. So it's been a few years now. And yes, time passes.

You are at home, in a big restaurant, at a friend's house...

You have a crystal glass in your hand.

And there you ask yourself: “but how do I know if this glass is mouth-blown and hand-cut?”

And yes, it is possible to easily see if a glass is mouth-blown and hand-cut.

A fully mouth-blown glass is made in one piece, meaning that the chalice (the top of the glass), the stem and the foot form a single piece.

During manufacturing, the chalice, also called the parison, is first blown.

Then we stretch the leg directly after which we shape the foot. This allows us to have a glass in a single part, which makes it more resistant and more elegant at the same time.

So if you can see with the naked eye that the glass is in two parts, there is a good chance that it is not crystal or that it is manufactured industrially.

In the photo below you will find a glass from the Valery Service .

You can easily see that it is made in one part.

But it's not over yet.

And yes, I have more information to share with you if you want to be Crystal experts.

The finish of the glass is also an important quality criterion.

You have all found yourself in front of a crystal glass and had this reaction:

You wet the tip of your finger and swirl it around the edge of the glass.

And there, of course, you expect to make the crystal glass sing.

But it doesn't always work.

This varies depending on the shape of the glass and the finish of the edge.

-The glass must be balloon-shaped and not too thick.

-it also depends on the type of glass finish.

So I will explain this to you in a new step.

Step 5: Check the glass finish.

Observe the finish of the edge of the glass .

In handmade crystal glasses there are two ways to finish the top of a glass :

-the first consists of a flattened edge.

That is, cut and finished using a band machine.

Which gives you a flat edge with a chamfer (the process of slightly beveling the inside and outside edges of the glass so that they are not sharp).

-the second consists of a hot finish using a flame.

This will have the effect of giving a slightly rounded edge and making it more resistant and less susceptible to chipping.

Finish most commonly found on wine tasting glasses for fine wines.

Finally, I'll give you a very simple tip.

Step 6: Observe the size of the crystal.

A glass that is worked has a good chance of being crystal, because this material is softer due to the addition of lead oxide.

Which allows it to be cut and polished in a much more subtle way than glass.

The thickness of a glass varies mainly depending on whether it is intended to be cut or left plain.

The deeper the size, the more you have to start with a thick base so that you can work it without drilling it.

Here is an example of a signature glass I cut.

You will notice that it is necessary to have a certain thickness so as not to pierce the glass when cutting it.

Here is an example with the long drink glass from the Riviera Signature Service .

By clicking HERE you will find a video of crystal cutting in my workshop.

When you have a crystal glass in your hand every detail counts.

There are many misconceptions about crystal.

We all remember our grandmother's glasses, as thin as cigarette paper that could break just by wiping them.

The fragility is not due to the material but to the extreme thinness of these glasses.

For several years now, to adapt to customer demand for attractive glasses that can be easily used on a daily basis and are even dishwasher safe.

Crystal makers make glasses that are blown slightly thicker.

So that it can be used more easily and no longer serves as decoration in the family dresser.

TO YOU:

There you have it, I have given you the complete method.

It is simple to follow.

I know it's going to take a little work, but it's worth it.

Don't have time?

Of course I do.

It will take you 2 minutes.

Plus you can share it with all your friends.

And now you will have peace of mind, because now you know how to recognize the quality of a crystal glass.

So start now.

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