Resplendent Waterford Christmas Ornaments

Today, Waterford Crystal has strong links to its illustrious predecessor. There is the same dedication to the purity of color, the same design inspiration, and the same pursuit of the highest quality possible. The traditional cutting patterns made famous by the artisans of Waterford became the design basis for the new product assortment.

In addition to fine crystal, Waterford has extended its product line to include china, Christmas ornaments, table and bed linens, stainless flatware and silver, writing instruments, Christmas decorations, and crystal jewelry.

Waterford's New Year's Eve Presence

In 2000, Waterford was invited to design and create the Times Square New Year's Eve Millennium Ball for New York City. The 1,000-pound ball is approximately 6' in diameter and contains over 650 lights. Its outer surface is covered with 504 Waterford Crystal panels, specially designed and cut to withstand the extremes in temperature that exist at the top of One Times Square on New Year's Eve. Of the 504 panels, 72 are replaced each year with a new theme.

The Times Square 2007 theme for these new panels is Hope for Peace. "Hope for Peace" finalizes the collection, which began in 2000. The "Hope for Peace" crystal pattern is captured by a dove-like symbolic angel with arms arched in a gesture of prayer.

The History of the Waterford Company

The Waterford Crystal story began in 1783. Two brothers, George and William Penrose, the city's principal exporters, founded their crystal manufacturing business in the busy port of Waterford.

They employed 50 to 70 people, led by a fellow Quaker, John Hill, from Stourbridge in England, and succeeded in producing crystal with a purity of color unmatched in Ireland or England. Merchant ships sailed regularly from the port of Waterford with shipments bound for Spain, the West Indies, New York, New England, and Newfoundland. Unfortunately, less than 100 years later, the original company failed due to lack of capital and excessive taxation.

Another century passed before the Waterford enterprise was revived. In 1947, while Europe was still in ruins after the second World War, a small glass factory was set up in Waterford just 1-1/2 miles from the site of the original factory.

Waterford Crystal as a Leader

Waterford Crystal is known as the leading brand of premium crystal. Its products — superb handcrafted crystal stemware, giftware, and lighting — are designed and manufactured to the highest standards. Each piece of Waterford can be recognised by the signature on the base with the word "Waterford", the name of the finest crystal in the world.

In November 2000, Waterford Crystal was named as the top world-class brand in the United States by a survey conducted among 30,000 people by a Princeton, New Jersey, based independent market research company. Total Research Corporation confirmed that Waterford Crystal was rated by American consumers as the brand with the highest quality out of 19 world-class brands in the US market.

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