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Elite crystal Rogaska Crystal. Wine glasses and vases from Bohemia will satisfy the requirements of even the most demanding customers. Striving for perfection

Elite crystal Rogaska Crystal. Wine glasses and vases from Bohemia will satisfy the requirements of even the most demanding customers. Striving for perfection

The crystal was created completely by accident. In the 17th century, the Englishman George Ravenscroft, experimenting with glass, added lead oxide to it and obtained an unusually transparent material, which was called crystal. Like everything new, at first ringing objects were available only to the nobility. Naturally, over time, manufacturing technology improved, and by the 20th century crystal had become a completely affordable material. Today, domestically produced dishes cost 1000-8000 rubles. Imported crystal (Czech Republic, France, England) has a more varied design, and therefore costs more.

Look for plumbum

According to international standards, real high-quality crystal consists of glass and always lead oxide. However, there is also barium material (barium is added to it instead of lead), Bohemian (potassium-calcium glass), and a few years ago the Americans invented crystal with the addition of titanium, which, as manufacturers claim, increases the strength of tableware. However, the lead version is still considered classic: the higher the plumbum (Pb) content in the material, the higher the quality of the glasses and shot glasses. According to Russian GOST, if there is less than 10% of it in a dish, it is just crystal glass. A low-lead product contains 18-24% Pb, an expensive one - 24-30%, and an elite one - more than 30%. In Europe, a slightly different classification has been adopted, but this does not change the essence - the title “crystal” can only be given to those dishes that contain lead from 24% or more. You can find out how much Pb is in a product from the labeling. It is applied to a paper label, which is glued to a glass, ashtray or vase. If glasses or wine glasses are sold as a set, the marking can be attached to only one product.

Only hand made

In this age of automation, crystal products are one of the few that are still made by hand. Only very simple things (souvenirs, ashtrays) are made on an assembly line, and everything else is the work of a master. By blowing through a special tube, he creates the thinnest and most transparent dishes. Therefore, if you put a set of 6 or 12 glasses in a row, you will see that they have slight differences. This is not a defect, but a sign that this is a real handmade product.

Play of light and shadow

Crystal tableware is valued for the play of light that occurs on its edges, so the finer the design on a glass or vase, the higher the price of the product. By the way, it is the edges that will tell you whether the crystal in front of you is real or not. Look closely at the patterns - you should see all the colors of the rainbow on them! However, crystal edges can be not only transparent, but also matte and colored. Products are painted in one shade or another during the production process. However, it is not blue or purple dishes that are considered the best, but elite crystal in pearl gray, amethyst and blue shades.

There is no such thing as second class

For crystal glassware there is no concept of first, second or third grade. All of it undergoes strict quality control, and only the best goes on sale. Some manufacturers are so strict about rejecting their products that almost half of the finished products are broken. However, you should still be careful when purchasing. Before purchasing, check each wine glass against the light - there should be no cloudiness, foreign inclusions or large voids in the crystal (small bubbles are allowed). Then touch the rim of the glass. If it is rounded, it means there is an impostor in front of you! Only sharpened edges are a sign of real crystal.

Expert opinion

Vera Karlova, leading specialist consultant at the Crystal Slipper online store

Crystal products do not like heat. Under the influence of high temperatures, the soluble lead compounds contained in the material enter the food, so do not put hot foods in salad bowls or pour heated drinks into glasses. Crystal should also not be in contact with food for a long time, especially those containing alcohol. This material also deteriorates in dishwashers. It only needs to be washed by hand and exclusively in warm water - hot water will partially dissolve the lead oxides, and the surface of the product will become cloudy and dull.

How to choose good crystal

1. Find markings on the product and information indicating that the lead oxide content in the crystal is more than 24%.

2. Lightly tap the glass or glass with a pencil and listen to the characteristic crystal ringing: it should sound for at least 4 seconds.

3. Look at the product in the light - all the colors of the rainbow should shimmer on its edges.

4. Pay attention to whether there are any cloudiness, bubbles or foreign inclusions in the crystal.

5. Feel the edge of the product - it should be pointed.

6. Check the product for weight - crystal cannot be too light.

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Czech crystal wine glasses are chic and rich, an additional note of style that gives any event a special status. It is not surprising that expensive and famous restaurants give preference exclusively to this type of tableware.

At one time it was believed that Czech crystal appeared in the 16th and 17th centuries. However, records of this fragile material were later found, and they dated back to 1162. It turned out that the first blown glass workshops appeared almost 1000 years ago. They were located in the area of the Giant Mountains (Harrachov, Sumava and Spindleruv Mlýn). Even then, Bohemian glass was famous for its highest quality. It was sold mainly in France, Flanders and Saxony.

For almost 500 years, the Czech Republic in glass production could only compete with Venice, which at that time was also known far beyond the country's borders, but in the 17th century the Czech Republic still managed to overtake its Italian rival. At this time, the first Czech crystal product appeared. To make it, craftsmen use quartz sand and lead oxide. The manufacturing process takes place at a temperature of 1500 °C. This unique composition allows you to turn any product into transparent, clear and durable crystal, resistant to various chemicals.

True sophistication - delicate crystal, the thin glass of which allows the glare of the sun to pass through, decorates any table, speaks of excellent taste and the desire to be impeccable in everything. Modern wine glasses and vases from Bohemia are a whole work of art in such small products. Stunning stained glass windows, a wide variety of shapes and colors are simply mesmerizing, and the assortment amazes with its abundance, making you think about what to choose.

How to choose vases and wine glasses made of Czech crystal

The world of glass really fascinates, encouraging you to buy as many different vases and glasses as possible, especially since they all have different shapes, differences in manufacturing and colors. Today there are several varieties of Bohemian glass:

1. Smooth cast

Products made from smooth cast crystal are made using a special technology. Basically, these are glasses, so fragile and elegant, serving as decoration for any table. It would seem that there is nothing supernatural, ordinary transparent glass, but what style do these objects have? Such glasses can be compared with any other more expensive glass, and they will look much richer and more advantageous.

2. Sanded

All products made from Czech crystal are polished by hand, which already indicates fine and jewelry work. All possible variations of polished patterns make each item or service unique. Handmade is a true exclusive that is never repeated, even if you make a second drawing of the same kind.

3. Colored

Making colored crystal is the work of real virtuosos of their craft. Again, this is manual and very delicate work. First a transparent layer is applied, then a colored one, followed by a transparent one again. The production of this type of product is considered one of the most painstaking works of true connoisseurs of their craft.

4. With modeling and gold

Lovers of everything bright and golden will certainly be pleased with products made of opaque crystal with molding and gold. They are very unusual, because at first glance it is difficult to determine what material they are made of, but despite this they are very beautiful and look rich.

How to choose Bohemian crystal products

First of all, when choosing crystal, you should naturally be guided by your own taste preferences and financial capabilities. From the variety of products, every crystal connoisseur can easily choose something most suitable for himself. You should only pay attention to how to distinguish an expensive trinket that is hidden behind the windows of expensive stores from true Bohemian glass, which at first glance not everyone can see.

Characteristic differences between crystal and ordinary glass

1. First of all, this is light refraction. Real crystal literally “plays” in the sun or under the light of a lamp. This special shine and sparkle cannot be compared with any glass.

2. Due to the fact that the manufacturing technology of Bohemian crystal includes lead oxide, all objects have a noticeable weight. There is no special lightness that is inherent in an ordinary thin glass, for example.

3. Feelings will never deceive you. If you run your finger along the edge of an object, be it a glass or a vase, you can feel the special sharpness of the edge of the product. Of course, it is not capable of hurting, but it will never be perfectly smooth.

4. The impeccable purity of crystal will never deceive. In real Bohemian objects, no one will ever find such flaws as bubbles, small particles, cloudiness or inclusions of air. This is unusual for real Czech crystal products.

5. Bohemian crystal has a special ringing sound. If you lightly hit an object, it will ring for at least 4-5 seconds.

6. One of the most difficult ways to learn about crystal is to inquire about its composition. If it contains less than 4% lead, then it is ordinary glass. Good crystal contains more than 10% lead, and high-quality crystal contains more than 30% (in the Czech Republic 24%).

Where to buy dishes made of Czech crystal

Of course, the majority of people coming to the Czech Republic, in the vast majority of cases, leave home with at least a small crystal vase or a couple of glasses. In the Czech Republic and, in particular, in Prague, there are places abounding in this goodness. The following shops are very popular: “Bohemia Crystal”, “Moser”, “Artel”, “Arzenal”, many prefer the shops on Celetna Street.

Tourists visiting Karlštejn Castle almost always return with Bohemian crystal. The fact is that next to the castle there is a number of shops that regularly sell last year’s crystal collection at very affordable prices. A good vase can be bought for 12-15 euros. In city stores the cost, of course, is much higher.

As for brands, preference is always given to the most famous ones in the world. Among them: “Caezar Crystal Bohemia”, “Gold Crystal”, “Jihlava”, “RONA”, “Riva Glass” and many others. For some, Czech crystal is nostalgia for the Soviet era, for others it is top quality tableware. Be that as it may, this is a time-tested classic that gets better every year, adapting to the tastes of the most demanding customers.

Transparent and delicate, thin and graceful, carrying a feeling of some kind of magic, crystal products have been decorating human living space for many centuries. And if previously crystal was the property of only fairly wealthy people, today each of us can decorate the interior of our home with all kinds of crystal things.

Some believe that crystal can only be used for table setting and for decorating lighting fixtures, but its role in decorating rooms, of course, is not limited to this.

Not only dishes and chandeliers are crystal - even curtains and paintings can be crystal, not to mention wine glasses, boxes, vases, watches, perfume bottles and so on. By skillfully using crystal, you can decorate the interior of your home in an original way, give it sophistication and special charm, make it livelier and brighter.

Fortunately, today you don’t need to look for a long time for stores where you can buy beautiful crystal products, because you can even buy crystal through the Internet. Well, to make sure that the selected crystal is really high quality, let's test the selected or already purchased product.

First, let's look at what is written on the label pasted on it - look at what percentage of Pb (lead oxide) or BaO (barium) is contained in the crystal, because it is their presence that distinguishes ordinary glass from special glass, that is, crystal.

The crystal must contain at least 24% Pb or BaO - this is considered the best. Next - as you know, good crystal is valued for the extraordinary play of color on the edges, and therefore look carefully at the patterns of the crystal product - you should see how they shimmer with different colors of the rainbow and also - the thinner the edges on the crystal, the better it is.

Now lightly tap the product with a pen or pencil - you will hear a characteristic thin sound that lasts about 4 seconds. And finally, pay attention to the weight of the chosen product - good crystal cannot be too light.

The return of crystal to fashion once again draws attention to this exquisite and noble material. Last but not least, questions arise regarding the definition of quality. Few people want to make a mistake when making a purchase and purchase a low-quality product. By sound, light reflections, and color, you can distinguish noble crystal from its less “thoroughbred” variations.

The technology for making crystal was created in the 12th century. Englishman Georg Ravenscroft, who guessed to add lead oxide to glass. The result was a material of extraordinary transparency, which was called crystal. Over the past centuries, various changes have been made to its manufacturing technology. But even today, manufacturers are experimenting in search of new advantages that modern crystal can have. In the Middle Ages, crystal products were available only to noble people. Today it is a widely used material. As the employees of the store of elite Czech crystal chandeliers Salon Bohemia note, the most famous crystal manufacturers are located in Europe, their products have a more sophisticated design and a high price.

By international standards, crystal is considered high quality if it contains glass and lead oxide. Deviations from the standard are also possible. Thus, Bohemian crystal is made from potassium-calcium glass, barium material contains barium instead of lead. The latest invention is crystal containing titanium, characterized by increased strength. But the formula of the classic recipe is still preserved - the more lead, the better the quality of the crystal. GOST classifies the material according to the percentage of lead content. Up to 10% lead - simple crystal glass, 18-24% - low-lead product, 24-30% - expensive, more than 30% - elite. The European classification is slightly different, but the general principle remains the same. Namely, only those compositions that contain at least 24% lead are called crystal. The percentages are indicated on the paper label supplied with each product individually or the entire set.

The value of crystal lies not only in its composition, but also in its manufacturing method. It is still produced by hand, blowing the dishes through a special tube. Conveyor production is only possible for basic items - ashtrays, souvenirs, etc. Handmade means that each product is slightly different from the others. Therefore, by placing a set of glasses in a row, you can notice the differences in each of them. This, as the employees of the elite Czech crystal store Salon Bohemia note, is not a defect, but one of the signs of handmade work.

The play of light on the walls of crystal glassware depends on the fineness of the design. It is for these reflections of light that real crystal is valued. After all, only it has edges on which, upon closer examination, you can see the entire palette of the rainbow. In this case, the edges can be either transparent, colored or matte. This or that shade appears during manufacturing. The best dishes are considered to be blue, pearl gray and amethyst shades. Blue and purple crystal are less valuable.

Crystal quality control is strict, and therefore only the best samples reach the market. Often, up to half of the finished product is recycled. This is especially true for luxury brands, for which the prestige of their name is more valuable than momentary losses. It is not customary to divide crystal into types. You will not find second or first grade crystal products on sale. But when making a purchase, you should still pay attention to quality. By holding the glass up to the light, you can determine whether there are any foreign inclusions, voids or cloudiness. Ideally there shouldn't be any, although small air bubbles are acceptable. One of the important indicators is the edge of the product. In real crystal it has sharp edges, in other cases it has rounded edges.

To choose a good crystal, you need:

Make sure that the label indicates sufficient lead oxide content - 24% or higher.
Calculate how long the sound lasts after lightly hitting a glass or glass with a pencil. The real material “sounds” for at least 4 seconds.
Hold the product up to the light to make sure that the edges shimmer with multi-colored highlights.
Check for bubbles, cloudiness, and foreign inclusions.
Make sure the edge of the product is sharp.
Estimate the weight of a thing - real crystal cannot be light.

Employees of the elite Czech crystal store Salon Bohemia advise not to expose crystal to heat. That is, you should not use crystal dishes for warm salads, otherwise lead compounds will get into your food. Also, avoid pouring warm drinks. Alcohol is also harmful to crystal. Therefore, it is better to avoid long contact of alcohol (and any other food) with crystal. Such dishes should be washed by hand, and under no circumstances in hot water. Otherwise, the surface of the cookware will become dull due to the dissolution of lead oxides.

Is your crystal real?

Without any doubt! We have collected an assortment of crystal from all Russian and CIS manufacturers. For the most part, these are large factories with a century-long history, founded in tsarist times: Gusevsky Crystal Factory, Dyatkovo Crystal Factory, Borisov Crystal Factory, Neman Factory. Many of them have been significantly modernized in recent years, however, manual labor is present even in the most modern crystal production.

The quality of products and their compliance with industry norms and standards is confirmed by certificates from manufacturers and regulatory services.

We assure you that crystal can only be made in factory conditions, in special blast furnaces or pot furnaces. This is complex, hard work and very harmful to human health.

Which crystal is better?

This is perhaps the most difficult question we have to answer. And the whole point is that crystal products must comply with GOST standards (in particular GOST 3020796), which strictly describe the requirements for crystal as a material and finished products made from it. Of course, all the crystal that you can buy from us meets these requirements, and the technological processes for its production are almost the same for all manufacturers. It follows from this that crystal from different manufacturers differs little from each other.

However, there is a difference, and it depends not on the manufacturer, but on the complexity of the product itself and the detail of its processing. The formula here is simple - the more complex the product and the more handmade it is, the higher its value and the more it is an object of art, and not just a household item.

In the assortment of each manufacturer you can find both inexpensive items and exclusive products with an appropriate price. And they are all beautiful in their own way.

How to check crystal?

Before reaching our warehouse, crystal products undergo technical control at production. And before we send the crystal to you, we carefully check all products and reject anything that may seem unacceptable to you. After which the order is carefully delivered by courier, and you check it yourself before paying.

Be sure to check for chips on the necks and thin edges. This can be done by simply running your hand over all protruding parts. Chips can be easily felt. Then inspect the products for internal damage, large bubbles or inclusions.

Note that small air bubbles are allowed and are a feature of the production technology of blown products.

In addition, in some cases, you may notice an asymmetrical cut of the product or a slight discrepancy in the cut of the photograph - this is a sign of handmade work and only indicates the exclusivity of each product.

We try to do everything so that you are satisfied with your purchase and become our regular customer!

Look for plumbum

According to international standards, real high-quality crystal consists of glass and always lead oxide. However, there is also barium material (barium is added to it instead of lead), Bohemian (potassium-calcium glass), and a few years ago the Americans invented crystal with the addition of titanium, which, as manufacturers claim, increases the strength of tableware. However, the lead version is still considered classic: the higher the plumbum (Pb) content in the material, the higher the quality of the glasses and shot glasses. According to Russian GOST, if there is less than 10% of it in a dish, it is just crystal glass. A low-lead product contains 18-24% Pb, an expensive one – 24-30%, and an elite one – more than 30%. In Europe, a slightly different classification has been adopted, but this does not change the essence - the title “crystal” can only be given to those dishes that contain lead from 24% or more. You can find out how much Pb is in a product from the labeling. It is applied to a paper label, which is glued to a glass, ashtray or vase. If glasses or wine glasses are sold as a set, the marking can be attached to only one product.

Only hand made

Play of light and shadow

There is no such thing as second class

For crystal glassware there is no concept of first, second or third grade. All of it undergoes strict quality control, and only the best goes on sale. Some manufacturers are so strict about rejecting their products that almost half of the finished products are broken. However, you should still be careful when purchasing. Before purchasing, check each wine glass against the light - there should be no clouding, foreign inclusions or large voids in the crystal (small bubbles are allowed). Then touch the rim of the glass. If it is rounded, it means there is an impostor in front of you! Only sharpened edges are a sign of real crystal.

Expert opinion

Vera Karlova, leading specialist consultant at the Crystal Slipper online store

How to choose good crystal

1. Find markings on the product and information indicating that the lead oxide content in the crystal is more than 24%.

2. Lightly tap the glass or glass with a pencil and listen to the characteristic crystal ringing: it should sound for at least 4 seconds.

3. Look at the product in the light - all the colors of the rainbow should shimmer on its edges.

4. Pay attention to whether there are any cloudiness, bubbles or foreign inclusions in the crystal.

5. Feel the edge of the product - it should be pointed.

6. Check the weight of the product - crystal cannot be too light.