Chandeliers can make any room appear bright and classy. Since they are commonly hooked up on ceilings, they can easily catch the attention and interest of visitors. Today's chandeliers are constructed from a whole range of materials like antlers, metals such as brass and wrought iron chandeliers, plastic as well as gemstones. However, chandeliers made from crystal pieces remain as one of the most popular ceiling accents.

A crystal is a mineral or glass resembling ice known for its brilliance and optical purity. The brilliant quality of this mineral is produced from the refraction of light that passes through its prism, which is a similar phenomenon that produce rainbows. Because of its aesthetic appeal, crystal pieces have long been used since ancient times until today as decorative items like jewelries and contemporary chandeliers. It is also widely known for its healing capabilities.

The earliest recorded crystal chandeliers were utilized in the 16th century and were made from rock crystal pieces. In 17th century Baroque period, crystal artisans perfected the craft of cutting rock crystal pieces for chandeliers, and on the near end of this century in France the first crystal glass chandeliers were developed. Chandeliers made entirely out of crystal glasses were originally manufactured in Murano and eventually spread in Bohemia, England, Spain and Ireland. Since then, the designs of crystal pieces have profoundly changed over the years to befit specific room types.

The crystal stones used for contemporary chandeliers are either manually cut or machine cut. If you are to purchase chandeliers constructed from crystal pieces, it would be ideal for you to understand first what crystal types you could encounter on the store. This way, it would be easier for you to secure the ones that would definitely suit your rooms' interior designs. Indicated below are some of the most common crystal types utilized for chandeliers including their individual descriptions.

First in line is the Strass Swarovski crystal from the Austrian Alps which is regarded as the most finest form of crystal and is known for its flawless quality. Crystal chandeliers constructed from these gemstones may come as plain or with differing colors, and could cost an arm and a leg. Meanwhile, heritage hand cut crystal pieces, as their name suggests, are hand-made by craftsmen through two cutting processes""iron and stone wheeling. After the crystal has been iron and sandstone wheeled, it is then hand-polished through the help of a wood-wheel sprinkled with marble dust, which in turn leaves traces of wood wheel to the stone that actually serves as the gem's mark of authenticity.

Rock crystal pieces are natural quartz that have been used since ancient periods, and are known for their formational process that takes millions of years, which in turn gives them their irregular shapes. These raw crystal pieces are skillfully hand cut, grind, and polished by gem cutters, usually taking a week or two for each piece. Meanwhile, legacy crystal pieces are manufactured in Venice and instead of cutting they are fire-polished making them more brilliant and luminous, while vintage crystal pieces are just like estate jewelries that goes along with fanciful beading. Overall, crystal chandeliers, regardless of the crystal types used, are elegant and highly functional ceiling furnishings that could leave great aesthetic impressions among visitors and homeowners.