Crystal Lighting
Crystal lighting has always been prized for the way light shines through it showing every colour of the spectrum. Now you can add a crystal light to your contemporary or modern home lighting scheme. Choose online from a variety of styles including flush, semi flush, pendants, chandeliers and LED.
Crystal is considered by many to bring good luck. Whilst this may just be a superstition there is no question that crystal lighting is by far the most stunning type of home lighting available.
A crystal ceiling light is usually a strong frame housing the light bulbs surrounded or dressed with cut crystal. This frame needs to be strong as lead crystal is very heavy. The crystals refract the light produced and spread the whole light spectrum into your room.
Lead crystal has been around for a long time and is greatly prized for it’s lighting properties. Examples of Egyptian leaded glass have been found dating back 3000 years. By the 12th century, the Egyptians were producing very high quality lead crystal. Today, Egypt produces nearly 80% of all lead crystal with some of the highest quality crystal still being produced there.
Lead crystal is basically molten sand mixed with lead. The sand makes glass whilst the lead adds the sparkle that we associate with lead crystal glass. The more lead that is added to the mix, the higher the quality of the crystal. It is widely recognised that 24% lead content and over gives the best quality crystal. Once produced the crystals are then faceted like a diamond so that they maximise the rainbow effect that the light produces when it shines through.
Louis XIV is believed to be the first person to use crystal lighting in his palace at Versailles in the 14th century. He commissioned the first large drop chandeliers made from solid gold surrounded by masses of heavy lead crystal.
The weight of a crystal ceiling light can be considerable. Higher quality crystal is considerably heavier that crystal of a lower quality. On larger crystal ceiling lights, the crystal can account for 75% of the total weight of the fitting, amounting to 20Kg or more.
Today there are many styles and finishes available at a price to suite everyone, so it is very easy to install a crystal light in almost any room. Fortunately they no longer need to be made from solid gold. Modern manufacturing techniques mean that they can now be plated or painted in almost any finish imaginable.
There is a full article in our lighting information pages that explains how to clean crystal light fittings.
© 2009: Sye Yehya. Universal Lighting Services Ltd
