![]() ![]() Our Favorite Crystal and Lead-Free Crystal Wine Glasses The best splurge: It has qualities nearly identical to leaded crystal glass. The mixture creates a glass that is extra-clear and brilliant when compared to normal glass. Lead-free crystal substitutes lead for other ingredients such as barium, zinc, or potassium. Today, the majority of the wine glasses you find for sale will be lead-free crystal rather than leaded crystal. For those that wish to drink from high-end drinkware on a daily basis, you no longer need to worry about the possible downsides of lead crystal. No matter what it’s called, it makes sense for there to be an alternative to traditional crystal from a practical standpoint. This leads some to more accurately call it “brilliant glass” or “extra-clear glass.” Lead-Free Crystal Wine Glassesįrom a traditional standpoint, some will argue that there is no such thing as lead-free crystal and that crystal must contain lead to be considered crystal. This has led to the creation of lead-free crystal. However, it should not be used as everyday drinkware due to health concerns regarding lead. This is why crystal is sometimes referred to as “lead-crystal” or “leaded-crystal.” The addition of lead oxide makes the glass extra clear and increases light refraction, which adds to the visual appearance of the drinkware.Īccording to the European Union Council Directive 69/493/EEC, glass must contain at least 24% lead oxide to be considered “lead crystal.” According to the FDA, using crystal drinkware on sporadic special occasions is deemed to be safe. In addition to the soda-lime mixture, crystal glasses also have a high lead-oxide content. They are manufactured in a very similar fashion to regular wine glasses, with the major difference being chemical composition. Crystal Wine GlassesĬrystal is simply a type of glass. Within the last 500 years, new techniques and mixtures have produced types of glass that outshine traditional glass. Over the years, glass has become clearer and more brilliant. Wine glass manufacturing has come a long way since its origins, which date back to Egypt as early as around 1600 B.C.E. Glass Wine GlassesĪ typical wine glass is created primarily using sand and a soda-lime mixture. The discerning wine enthusiast will want to know how to spot a wine glass that’s made of crystal. So naturally, this might leave you wondering what’s so special about crystal. Crystal has a particular reputation for being the “fancy” version of glass and is typically used for formal tableware on special occasions.
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