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Why Crystal?

Why Crystal?. … from the designer’s viewpoint This is not a scientific paper, but some thoughts from a designer who also happens to be an engineer and who feels passionate about crystal. Developing crystal for a post millenium world. Content. My background in the crystal industry

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Why Crystal?

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  1. Why Crystal? … from the designer’s viewpoint This is not a scientific paper, but some thoughts from a designer who also happens to be an engineer and who feels passionate about crystal. Developing crystal for a post millenium world

  2. Content • My background in the crystal industry • What does traditional crystal design look like and why did it evolve in the first place? • What has changed? • What products and designs suit crystal and where is it wasted? • How can we bring out the best in the material with our designs? • Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • What technical challenges does this pose to the industry? • Conclusion

  3. My background in the crystal industry • Grew up with crystal at Nachtmann • Engineering degree in at Technical University of Munich following in my father‘s footsteps • Complete my studies with a M.A. in design at the Royal College of Art in London • Early experience as a project manager with leading American design firm IDEO based in London • 1999 entered Nachtmann on the technical side of the business • Production manager at the Weiden plant • Three years as manager of the design and product development department • Now run glass design and product development consultancy

  4. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines BCT

  5. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Waterford Crystal

  6. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Nachtmann

  7. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Waterford Crystal

  8. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Swarovski

  9. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Hofbauer / Nachtmann

  10. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Baccarat

  11. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Orrefors

  12. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Mikasa

  13. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines V&B

  14. What does traditional crystal look like ? • Richly cut crystal • Repeat patterns • Cased crystal • Heavy = value • Sparkle • Fake „cut“ pressed crystal • Exact flat cuts • Clean, heavy shapes with thick ice and walls • Pressed stemware • Press-injected candle-holders • Figurines Lalique

  15. Why did crystal evolve in the first place? • Less fragile than Venitian cristallo • Heavy = value • Cutting: • Opened up unlimited scope for design • Feel of ultimate luxury • Hide flaws • Pressing: flame and acid polishing made possible cheap products with good surface quality and sparkle • Long glass => development of injection pressing allowed complicated shapes like figurines • Superior transparency and colour George Ravenscroft, 1690

  16. Why did crystal evolve in the first place? • Less fragile than Venitian cristallo • Heavy = value • Cutting: • Opened up unlimited scope for design • Feel of ultimate luxury • Hide flaws • Pressing: flame and acid polishing made possible cheap products with good surface quality and sparkle • Long glass => development of injection pressing allowed complicated shapes like figurines • Superior transparency and colour England, 17th C.

  17. Why did crystal evolve in the first place? • Less fragile than Venitian cristallo • Heavy = value • Cutting: • Opened up unlimited scope for design • Feel of ultimate luxury • Hide flaws • Pressing: flame and acid polishing made possible cheap products with good surface quality and sparkle • Long glass => development of injection pressing allowed complicated shapes like figurines • Superior transparency and colour Perrin Geddis & Co., 1806-8

  18. Why did crystal evolve in the first place? • Less fragile than Venitian cristallo • Heavy = value • Cutting: • Opened up unlimited scope for design • Feel of ultimate luxury • Hide flaws • Pressing: flame and acid polishing made possible cheap products with good surface quality and sparkle • Long glass => development of injection pressing allowed complicated shapes like figurines • Superior transparency and colour Nachtmann, 1970

  19. Why did crystal evolve in the first place? • Less fragile than Venitian cristallo • Heavy = value • Cutting: • Opened up unlimited scope for design • Feel of ultimate luxury • Hide flaws • Pressing: flame and acid polishing made possible cheap products with good surface quality and sparkle • Long glass => development of injection pressing allowed complicated shapes like figurines • Superior transparency and colour Nachtmann

  20. Why did crystal evolve in the first place? • Less fragile than Venitian cristallo • Heavy = value • Cutting: • Opened up unlimited scope for design • Feel of ultimate luxury • Hide flaws • Pressing: flame and acid polishing made possible cheap products with good surface quality and sparkle • Long glass => development of injection pressing allowed complicated shapes like figurines • Superior transparency and colour Hoya

  21. What has changed? • Most crystalline formulations are now less fragile than crystal • Traditional repetititve cut or fake-cut patterns in decline • Pure shapes without decoration have become more popular • Cost of traditional cutting, rework and acid polishing has been rising • Thin = quality / high value • Improvements in technology: crystalline can be used for many items • Patterns to camouflage flaws are less necessary • Growing supply of cheap, hand-made and especially coloured glass opens up new design alternatives • Issues like prop 65 mean unwanted hassle to some companies

  22. What products and designs suit crystal? • Wine glasses (sound and balance) • Designs which need rework • Complex press-injected shapes • Thick walls because of transparency and colour • The sparkle of luxury: • real cut crystal • real cased crystal • modern press patterns Riedel

  23. What products and designs suit crystal? • Wine glasses (sound and balance) • Designs which need rework • Complex press-injected shapes • Thick walls because of transparency and colour • The sparkle of luxury: • real cut crystal • real cased crystal • modern press patterns Gaia&Gino

  24. What products and designs suit crystal? • Wine glasses (sound and balance) • Designs which need rework • Complex press-injected shapes • Thick walls because of transparency and colour • The sparkle of luxury: • real cut crystal • real cased crystal • modern press patterns Nachtmann

  25. What products and designs suit crystal? • Wine glasses (sound and balance) • Designs which need rework • Complex press-injected shapes • Thick walls because of transparency and colour • The sparkle of luxury: • real cut crystal • real cased crystal • modern press patterns Hoya

  26. What products and designs suit crystal? • Wine glasses (sound and balance) • Designs which need rework • Complex press-injected shapes • Thick walls because of transparency and colour • The sparkle of luxury: • real cut crystal • real cased crystal • modern press patterns Willian Yeoman William Yeoward

  27. What products and designs suit crystal? • Wine glasses (sound and balance) • Designs which need rework • Complex press-injected shapes • Thick walls because of transparency and colour • The sparkle of luxury: • real cut crystal • real cased crystal • modern press patterns Nachtmann

  28. What products and designs suit crystal? • Wine glasses (sound and balance) • Designs which need rework • Complex press-injected shapes • Thick walls because of transparency and colour • The sparkle of luxury: • real cut crystal • real cased crystal • modern press patterns Nachtmann

  29. Where is crystal wasted ? • Plain, thin-walled shapes • Richly patterned pressed items • Functional table ware (plates, bowls, jugs, etc.) • Heavy pressed stemware • „Everyday“ stemware • For all these items I see a better future with other materials such as crystalline Nachtmann

  30. Where is crystal wasted ? • Plain, thin-walled shapes • Richly patterned pressed items • Functional table ware (plates, bowls, jugs, etc.) • Heavy pressed stemware • „Everyday“ stemware • For all these items I see a better future with other materials such as crystalline V&B

  31. Where is crystal wasted ? • Plain, thin-walled shapes • Richly patterned pressed items • Functional table ware (plates, bowls, jugs, etc.) is lighter and more durable in crystalline • Heavy pressed stemware • „Everyday“ stemware • For all these items I see a better future with other materials such as crystalline Nachtmann

  32. Where is crystal wasted ? • Plain, thin-walled shapes • Richly patterned pressed items • Functional table ware (plates, bowls, jugs, etc.) • Heavy pressed stemware • „Everyday“ stemware • For all these items I see a better future with other materials such as crystalline Nachtmann

  33. Where is crystal wasted ? • Plain, thin-walled shapes • Richly patterned pressed items • Functional table ware (plates, bowls, jugs, etc.) • Heavy pressed stemware • „Everyday“ stemware • For all these items I see a better future with other materials such as crystalline Nachtmann

  34. How can design bring out the best in crystal? • Stemware: Taking sound and feel into consideration • Keeping the sparkle alive • Work with varying thickness of rims • Emphasize edges • Play with optical effects • Take the complexity of shapes to extremes • Never kill a product with decoration, but contrast clean surfaces with patterned ones • Use traditional techniques for which crystal was invented BCT

  35. How can design bring out the best in crystal? • Stemware: Taking sound and feel into consideration • Keeping the sparkle alive • Work with varying thickness of rims • Emphasize edges • Play with optical effects • Take the complexity of shapes to extremes • Never kill a product with decoration, but contrast clean surfaces with patterned ones • Use traditional techniques for which crystal was invented Gaia&Gino

  36. How can design bring out the best in crystal? • Stemware: Taking sound and feel into consideration • Keeping the sparkle alive • Work with varying thickness of rims • Emphasize edges • Play with optical effects • Take the complexity of shapes to extremes • Never kill a product with decoration, but contrast clean surfaces with patterned ones • Use traditional techniques for which crystal was invented Nachtmann

  37. How can design bring out the best in crystal? • Stemware: Taking sound and feel into consideration • Keeping the sparkle alive • Work with varying thickness of rims • Emphasize edges • Play with optical effects • Take the complexity of shapes to extremes • Never kill a product with decoration, but contrast clean surfaces with patterned ones • Use traditional techniques for which crystal was invented Nachtmann

  38. How can design bring out the best in crystal? • Stemware: Taking sound and feel into consideration • Keeping the sparkle alive • Work with varying thickness of rims • Emphasize edges • Play with optical effects • Take the complexity of shapes to extremes • Never kill a product with decoration, but contrast clean surfaces with patterned ones • Use traditional techniques for which crystal was invented William Yeoward

  39. How can design bring out the best in crystal? • Stemware: Taking sound and feel into consideration • Keeping the sparkle alive • Work with varying thickness of rims • Emphasize edges • Play with optical effects • Take the complexity of shapes to extremes • Never kill a product with decoration, but contrast clean surfaces with patterned ones • Use traditional techniques for which crystal was invented CALP

  40. How can design bring out the best in crystal? • Stemware: Taking sound and feel into consideration • Keeping the sparkle alive • Work with varying thickness of rims • Emphasize edges • Play with optical effects • Take the complexity of shapes to extremes • Never kill a product with decoration, but contrast clean surfaces with patterned ones • Use traditional techniques for which crystal was invented Stuart Crystal

  41. How can design bring out the best in crystal? • Stemware: Taking sound and feel into consideration • Keeping the sparkle alive • Work with varying thickness of rims • Emphasize edges • Play with optical effects • Take the complexity of shapes to extremes • Never kill a product with decoration, but contrast cleansurfaces with patterned ones • Use traditional techniques for which crystal was invented Nachtmann

  42. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion Gaia&Gino

  43. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion Nachtmann

  44. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion Swarowski

  45. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion

  46. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion Wedgewood Hermes

  47. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion Nachtmann

  48. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion

  49. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion Orrefors Tittot

  50. Which possible design directions can modern crystal go? • Large items • New glamour • Take the sparkle to the extreme • Patterns from nature instead of geometry • Revival of classical patterns applied in a modern way • „Mix & Match“ look • Vases are not only for flowers • True colour • Plain bowls – decorated stems • Crystal used in jewelry and fashion Rosenthal Versace

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