Properties and uses of crystal

For lovers of Eastern philosophy and the traditional Chinese art of Feng Shui, it evokes a stone of purity that attracts only "crystal" pure behavior and thoughts and wards off all negation on the physical, mental, spiritual and spiritual levels. But these things have little in common.

Indeed, it is true that there is no crystal like crystal.

What is a crystal?

Crystal - a mineral - is the purest form of quartz, one of the most widely used and popular materials, and one that no industry can do without. Chemically, it is a colourless variety of silica. It is mined mainly in Brazil, China and the USA, but also in the Czech Republic.

According to available sources, it is the most effective healing crystal, which has beneficial effects for the body and mind. It is referred to as the "stone of stones", it symbolizes the light on earth and its clarity charges us with positive energy, while it supposedly acts as a filter and removes negative energy. It is therefore used extensively for meditation, crystal therapy and feng shui.

Crystal is also said to promote clairvoyance, which is why you will also encounter it when interpreting the future. Whether in the classic form of a divining crystal ball or in the form of a sideric pendulum.

Don't worry, we're not into esoterica. This alternative introduction was only meant to clear up a common misunderstanding at the outset, because many people think that our crystal chandeliers, crystal lamps and other decorative lighting are made of natural stone and their luster is the result of special cutting. But this is not true.

In fact, today's article is about crystal as an artificially created special kind of glass.

Crystal glass

Now we know what we are going to talk about, but let's get one more thing right, which is often mistaken - crystal does not equal glass. Crystal is a subset of glass, it is one of the types of glass that is made with the addition of lead oxide and other additives. Thus, in our industry, the word "crystal" refers to so-called leaded glass.

But not everybody thinks of the same thing. The official European definition says that:

• glassware containing less than 4 % lead oxide is referred to as 'glass',
• glassware containing more than 10 % lead oxide is referred to as 'crystal',
• glassware containing more than 30 % lead oxide is referred to as 'high lead crystal'.

In the USA, all glass that contains at least 1% lead oxide is considered "crystal".

In our country we are not so strict, and in order not to confuse the general public too much, we refer to any high quality and refined glass as crystal. Czech crystal is renowned all over the world. So much so that it is often imitated. See how to tell the difference between Czech crystal and its imitations.

And why is lead oxide added to crystal? It achieves the desired changes in the properties of the glass.

Properties of crystal

The presence of lead oxide (PbO) increases the mass, density and refractive index, making the crystal glass very shiny and allowing light rays to pass through it in iridescent colours. Lead oxide also softens the glass, making it much easier to cut, engrave and decorate. 

The key properties of crystal: it is shiny, glittering and reflects light.

Use of crystal

Due to its properties, crystal is not used to produce goods for everyday use, but is mainly used for decorative and artistic purposes. Such as our original Czech crystal lamps. Here you will find crystal ceiling lights, traditional and modern crystal chandeliers or crystal lamps.

3 advantages of crystal chandeliers

1. They are presentable in interiors.
2. They have a long service life.
3. They represent a great investment.

We do not have a crystal ball, but we are convinced that you will be very satisfied with our original Czech crystal lamps.

We're here for you

Need some advice? Contact us. We will be happy to help you. And together, we'll tune your home to the crystal shine that suits you best.