bohemian
crystal

Sourced

Bohemian crystal bears a legend of its own. The story begins inside a diligently constructed furnace, where a concoction of mindfully selected raw materials is forged into one. The four classic elements – fire, water, earth and air – encounter and coalesce in 1,200 degrees Celsius of fervent, glowing liquid. Born is a new pristine element – crystal. This is the making of fine crystal, and it is a craft premised on uncompromised loyalty to the past. The atmospheric ambience of the glassworks of Bohemia, rife with its hot water vapors and the sweet scents of fresh oak wood permeating the factory, is what instills in Bohemian crystal its distinct spirit at the very threshold of its creation.

Mouthblown crystal 
fine decors

Products

Formed

Crystal and wood make a natural pair. It is no coincidence that, over the centuries, glassworks sprang up in close proximity to the Bohemian mountains where forests provided a reliable supply of wood for heating up furnaces and carving out molds. Kilns now use gas for heating, but the practice of using wooden molds remains. As the process goes, skilled wood craftsmen utilize tailor made drilling instruments to give shape to water-drenched oak or cherry trees before ladling in the hot crystal blanks. Each mold fashions distinct curves and, upon its first use, goes to rest in a quiet, dark room, waiting for the next round.