What is Crystal Glass, and Why Use It?
Since its creation in the 1400s, Crystal glass has provided glass masters with a medium to create beautiful works from decorative objects to chandeliers. But what actually is Crystal Glass?
In 1450, Italian Master Glassmaker Angelo Barovier was hard at work looking to make his glass more transparent when he developed his formula that used reduced lime content and iron oxide impurities and produced a new glass, Cristallo! Cristallo, as it was called, was the precursor to lead crystal and crystal glass.
Over time, the glass makers discovered that adding metals to the glass mixture could create glass with even greater clarity and refractive properties; crystal glass is the outcome. Glass makers used barium, zinc, or potassium oxides to give crystal glass its weight, tremendous clarity, refractive capabilities, and durability. It was quickly discovered that crystal glass was the perfect medium for lighting. The metals used in the crystal glass not only make them more clear to transmit light, but they also add weight, substance, and crispness to the final product compared to traditional soda lime glass.
The versatile material can create stunning works that diffuse, refract, and enhance light using traditional and modern techniques. Molten crystal glass is poured into pressure molds creating solid pieces of glass that can be cut and ground to produce intricate details for works such as chandeliers or be polished and readied for more modern, minimal geometric designs.
Fabbian works with Europe’s top crystal glass producers to create several iconic product lines:
· The D95 Tile System features a crystal glass tile as its foundational element. The tile is then used to create modern crystal chandeliers, columns, and walls with tremendous clarity.
· The D27 Faretti Series of recessed downlights with ten different crystal glass trim options add sparkle and elegance to where ever they are installed.
· The F32 Multispot Beluga is based on a classic semi-sphere cast crystal glass shape with an opaque blown glass light diffuser in the center to offer a beautiful and completely customizable multi-lamp system.
· Lastly, the F41 Tripla Series is a solid crystal glass prism with superb light refraction properties. The playful shadows and light transposed to the wall and ceiling surfaces epitomize prismatic light transmittance.
Modern crystal glass designs are truly unique and set a design apart from the rest. Elevate your next design with these luxurious artisan design elements.
