For Seller

By: Richard Romando

Crystals, as we know them in their industrial applications were discovered in the 17th century. They are traditionally hand blown. Crystals are manufactured through the same process as that of glass forming; the only difference is that instead of soda ash, lead oxide is used. For glass to be considered crystal, it must be at least 10 % lead. The result is a heavier, clearer and more lustrous glass-like substance. It can be cut to take many shapes and forms — making it ideal for many applications, including fashion accessories.

The quality of crystals is judged by the pitch of the "ping" or the sound that is produced when you strike the crystal with a flick of the finger or a light instrument. The higher the pitch of the sound it produces, the greater is the quality of the crystal.

There are many uses or applications for crystals. Fro example, crystals are used in transistors. In the jewelry business, there are 200 known kinds that are used. They are also used in the watch industry. The face of the watch or its dial cover is technically known as the "crystal," rightly so because it is made of crystal.

There are three types or kinds of crystal used as covers for watch dials. The first is the cheapest kind and is used in most common watches. This is the acrylic crystal- that resembles the characteristics of plastic. But like plastic, it gets scratched easily. The second kind is the mineral crystal, which is harder than the acrylic crystal and therefore more resistant to scratches too. It is made from heat treating many kinds of elements. The heat enforces the hardness of the material. The most expensive of the three watch faces is the sapphire crystal. It prevents scratches 20 times better than the acrylic crystals and three times better than the sapphire crystals.

Crystals provides detailed information on Crystals, Snow Crystals, Dermabrasion Crystals, Sugar Crystals and more. Crystals is affiliated with Freshwater Pearls.