Traditional Czech crystal chandelier and its amazing shine

The designation of clear lead crystal glass is automatically linked to the notion of clarity and shine. Both belong to the basic properties of glass, which make it different from other materials. Each shine is the result of reflection of light beams. Comparing the shine of the polished metal surface and the shine of the crystal glass, the glass shine is much more complex and richer because it’s not only produced by light beams reflected from the smooth surface, but also by the transparency and refraction of the light that depends on the composition of the glass.
These amazing features of crystal glass only fully accentuate after grinding. The high-quality decorative grind allows light beams to not only reflect from one but from hundreds of edges and faces. If light beams can also bounce off the glossy or dark background behind the glass surface, the whole optical effect will multiply due to the physical mirroring effect (just like an ordinary mirror).

 PHOTOS 1 - " Assembly " Polished silver-plated metal parts of the chandelier create an amazing mirroring effect.

Colourful chandeliers and luminaires made of laminated crystallised glass
Another possibility of enhancing the reflection effect of grinded glass parts of traditional crystal lamps is the use of so-called cut crystal glass. You may have come across a shiny grinded glass object that is crystal inside and colourful outside or vice versa.
Such an object may also be formed from several layers of glass and that’s where its technical name comes from - "laminated" or "cut" glass.
Manufacturing processes for the production of cut glass have been created since the Middle Ages. It’s sufficient to note that for application of the individual coloured glass layers, it’s necessary to heat the metallurgical furnace, coloured cones of special glasses and of course, the mastery of a skilled glassmaker. For example, a famous manufacturer of these products is the glasswork of Josefodol.

PHOTOS 2 - "These are not Faberge eggs "
Objects made from cased cut glass can be of various shapes and look.

 

PHOTOS 3 - Double layer cased glass - Chandelier made of ruby and clear crystal glass.
The final optical effect is achieved by grinding and scraping the colour layer with diamond discs. The result is a unique contrast between the glossy cut and the coloured surface.

See E-shop: Colored & Cased glass