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Chandeliers can instantly make any living space appear more vibrant and elegant. Because they are commonly hanged on ceilings, they have the power to draw the attention of visitors and passers-by. Currently, chandeliers can be made from variety of materials ranging from common items like plastic and metals like brass and wrought iron chandeliers, to rare ones like antlers and 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 crystal is due to the refraction of light that passes through a prism, which is the same phenomenon exemplified when rainbows are formed. Because of the beautiful aesthetics of crystal, it has since been used as decorative accent throughout history ranging from jewelries to contemporary chandeliers. It is also acknowledged for its healing properties.

The earliest known crystal chandeliers were used during 16th century and were accented with rock crystal pieces that are irregular in shape. A century after, which is considered as the Baroque period, craftsmen were able to perfect cutting rock crystal pieces used for chandeliers, and around that same time the first crystal glass chandeliers were created in France. Chandeliers made entirely out of crystal glasses were originally manufactured in Murano and eventually spread in Bohemia, England, Spain and Ireland. From then on, the designs of crystal pieces changed profoundly in order to complement differing room types.

The crystal stones used for contemporary chandeliers are either manually cut or machine cut. If you are going to purchase chandeliers made from crystal, it is important for you to know the crystal options you have. This way you won't have trouble shopping for chandeliers, since you already have an idea what would best suit your rooms. Indicated below are some of the most common crystal types utilized for chandeliers including their individual descriptions.

First in the list is the Strass Swarovski crystal that is originally manufactured in the Austrian Alps and is considered as the world's finest crystal type, known for its brilliant and flawless qualities. Crystal chandeliers made from these stones may be plain or in differing colors, and are expensive than other forms of chandeliers. On the other hand, heritage hand cut crystal pieces, as their name implies, are laboriously hand crafted by artisans through two cutting stages""iron and sandstone wheeling. Once the crystal has underwent the said process, it is then hand-polished with a wood-wheel that has marble dust""a process the leaves wood wheel particles to the stone that serves as its 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. On the other hand, legacy crystal pieces are manufactured from Venice and are polished through fire instead of cutting which adds to the gems' luminosity and brilliance, while vintage pieces are the ones that appear like antique jewelries accentuated with beads and other precious stones. Generally, crystal chandeliers are truly remarkable as the light they emit are bright and their aesthetic are easy to the eye.