Many people define crystal as fancy glassware — however though glass and crystal appear comparable, they’re not interchangeable since they contain various materials. Glass, mostly made from a soda, silica and lime mix, feels heavier compared to nice crystal. Crystal contains soda and silica as well, but in addition contains lead oxides and other materials that affect its quality and composition.Crystal bowls have a higher resale value than merely plain glass bowls — particularly if they’re antiques.
Bowl Thickness
Bowls which have a thick rim and overall thickness are mainly made of glass, unless the bowl includes a cut surface. Crystal — since it contains lead — demands lower temperatures that permit the artisan more time to utilize the stuff. As a result of this, crystal bowls are usually not as thick as glass bowls. But the thinner material makes the crystal more susceptible to breakage. Even though a crystal bowl may be thinner than a glass basin of the identical size, the lead content makes it feel heavier.
Light Refraction
One of the easiest ways to spot crystal is always to hold it up to the light. The lead in crystal gives these fine bowls more of a refractive quality — and the higher the lead content, the more the crystal sparkles in sunlight. The reason crystal is utilized for chandeliers is since the cut crystals toss rainbow colors and mild around the room. When you hold glassware bowls around the light, the glass has more of a cloudy or opaque overall look. True crystal bowls, whether cut with layouts or not, contain no seams, while glass bowls often do since they’re generally made with molds.
Audio Quality
Place the bowl flat on the middle of your palm, so nothing else touches it. Hold your middle finger in a circle with your thumb to flick the edge of the bowl. When you flick glass, then note the audio. You may get a small ping, but overall the noise deadens or makes more of a thud. When you ping crystal — carefully so as not to break it — it resonates with a clear, pleasant note which has a sustaining quality. Wet your index finger and run it around the rim using slight pressure. Crystal discharges a musical note when you do so, but glass does not.
The Maker’s Signature
Well-known crystal producers typically mark the seams of bowls using their signature or business name. Mass-manufactured glass bowls don’t have these markers, although art glass bowls can have an artist’s signature. Search for etchings or cut ornamental accents on crystal bowls, as a result of the lengthened time the artisan has to make the bowl. True crystal is still a glass merchandise, but comprises just a minimum of 24 percentage lead.