When you decide to buy a chandelier, you need to know something about the crystals that are onboard. You need to know whether they are real crystals and are of good quality. As with everything else, in chandeliers also, you get what you pay for. Knowing about different grades of crystal quality helps you choose good quality crystals for your fixture.
Crystal is made of silica, potash, and lead oxide. The addition of lead oxide gives refraction effects to the glass mixture. The lead content can vary from 5 to 30%. The higher the lead content, the more will be the brittleness and fragility of the glass. For a crystal, the lead content should be between 20 – 30% which allows it the greatest refraction of light.
At Sofary, you will find a wide range of chandeliers that are suitable for any of your room spaces. They have more styles including contemporary, rustic, and modern crystal chandeliers. From their website you can check the description to know about the type of crystals they have used and other details about the light fixture. Order with them now to avail the season’s discount, up to 50%.
Major Types Of Crystals
Nowadays, lots of manufacturers use barium, zinc, or potassium oxides to increase the refracting property of glass. All crystals are not of the same quality. There is a wide range of styles, cuts, and prices in the market. Here we will see the major types of crystals.
Swarovski Elements Crystal Glass
Manufactured by Swarovski AG in the Austrian Alps, these crystals are the finest in the world. These crystals are available in different colors, shapes, and sizes. These are a great choice for lighting designers as well as for jewelry designers and other home accessories.
The razor-sharp faceting, purity, and clarity of these crystals are obtained by machine cut and these are easy to clean and maintain. The company assures its customers that they get the original crystals with its company logo etched inside each of the crystals.
Rock Cut Crystals
Rock-cut crystals are obtained from the earth and are not optically pure. These are thick and bulky, but the natural look attracts us to them. These crystals are expensive and go well with traditional-style chandeliers.
K9 Borosilicate Glass (“Chinese Crystal”)
K9 crystals are made in bulk in China and are the crystals that are commonly seen. This is not a crystal since the lead content is less than 10%. The name K9 itself indicates the percentage of lead content in it which is 9%. K9 glass is famous for a variety of reasons they are cheap, they have good clarity properties, and a refractive index.
Chandelier Care
Chandeliers are attractive pieces in your home, and you should keep them clean and shiny always though it is not an easy task. Carefully read the instructions before you start. Use prescribed crystal cleaner to maintain its beauty. Using a spray bottle, spray the crystals and let them drip and dry.
If this method doesn’t work and the stain is hard, you will have to clean the crystals individually using warm water and crystal cleaner.
