The difference between a crystal and glass is that a crystal has a homogenous solid formed by a repeating, three-dimensional pattern of atoms, ions, or molecules and having fixed distances between constituent parts.
Bjbead News Search
Crystal News
- Hot News
Crystal Pictures
- Hot Pictures
Discount Jewelry Catagory
Pearl Jewelry
Gemstone Jewelry
Crystal Jewelry
Turquoise Jewelry
Coral Jewelry
Shell Jewelry
Austrian Jewelry
Other Jewelry
Metal Jewelry
Wholesale Beads
Jewelry Packing & Pouches
The difference between glass and crystal
2010-07-08 11:42:00
Generally speaking, it is hard to tell the difference between crystal and glass. While is it true that all crystal is also glass, only certain types of glass can be properly identified as crystal. However, outside this rather broad statement, there are some steps which will help you distinguish glass from crystal.
Step one- Evaluate the clarity of the object. Crystal is clear, sometimes white, but glass is green, and sometimes with a yellow glow.
Step two- Look at the size of it, specifically the width of the rim. As is known to us, glassmakers can blow crystal thinner than glass. So when we tell the differences between them, the thinner one is more likely the crystal.
Step three- considering the cut of the object. Fine crystal is seamless, precisely cut and polished. In these aspects, manufactured glass has seams; being more brittle, the cut will not have the same accuracy. Touch the facets with your fingers; you can feel the differences easily. That is to say, if it feels sharp, it is likely glass, otherwise, crystal.
Step four- Compare the heft with that of a similar sized item. Crystal is heavier than glass, so when facing with two objects in the same size, the heavier will be the crystal.
Step five- Tap the rim to see if the object produces a "ping" or a "thud" sound. The difference between them is that crystal has a ringing sound, but glass does not.
Overall, Crystal is made by adding lead oxide to glass, which makes crystal heavier than glass. The lead in crystal is what makes it sparkle and reflect colors much more than common glass. When the lead content is higher - the crystal is a better quality.
The meaning of crystal versus glass changes according to the country. In Europe, glass must contain at least 4% lead to be called crystal. while in the US, glass must have at least 1% lead content to be classified as crystal.
Above are the differences between glass and crystal, so when you are choosing your crystal jewelry, consider these factors in advance, or the things you buy may be not the things you want.
Comment on this article