How to distinguish crystal cups from glasses

Are you wondering why the professional sommeliers prefer to use crystal cups compared to glasses? Without a fine wine glass, the charm of a bottle of fine wine will be greatly reduced. Below is the wine glass history for you to know more about wine glass.

-Before the 13th century, the glass products were opaque or translucent. Later, the Venetians used quartzite and sodium-containing ash to produce the earliest colorless transparent glass, named Cristallo. Its composition is similar to the modern glass composition - soda-lime-silica glass, which is the general glass used today.

-After the 13th century, Bohemians used higher quality quartzite and potassium carbonate-containing plant ash to produce glass with higher transparency and refractive index, named Crystalex, similar to today's potassium calcium silica glass. Later, the composition was improved, and sodium oxide and boron oxide were added, the density was 2.444 g/cm3, and the refractive index was 1.50002.

-In 1670, the British Ravenscroft discovered that the addition of lead dioxide to the glass system can lower the melting point viscosity, make the material longer, form easily, and have a higher refractive index and dispersion.

-In 1764, Baccarat was founded in France and began to promote the production of crystal glass containing 24% lead, called full lead crystal.

-In 1895 Swarovski was founded and used a variety of crystal products, such as various imitation gemstones, with glass containing up to 32% lead.

-In the 1950s, the Czechs invented lead-free crystals such as bismuth zinc crystals and zirconium crystals. Modern has crystal, zirconium crystal, zinc crystal, titanium crystal, mixed crystal and so on.

The Reasons why  choosing a crystal wine glass not soda-lime one

1.Clearer

The transparency of the crystal cup is good. The cup made of this material has a good effect on the light, and it looks very exquisite when tasting.

2Thinner

The hardness of the crystal cup is high. The strength of the crystal cup good enough to support the thinner wall. The crystal wine glass has lighter weight thus both men and women can easily and elegantly lift the glass when drinking wine.

3.Crisper

Drinking clinking glasses is a common habit of wine tasting and the sound of the crystal cup is louder and crisper than the glass. It makes a more conformable sound when gathering.

4.More fragrant

The cup wall of the crystal cup is made up of many small cuts, making it easier to leave the aroma of the wine in the cup.

5.Refreshing faster

The microscopic surface structure of the crystal is not as smooth and smooth as glass, which offers the wine more area to the air and accelerates the oxidation process of the wine. The Crystal cup can accelerate decanting duration while drinking.

How to distinguish crystal cups from glasses?

Crystal glass and glass look very similar, but they are two completely different materials. The brightness of each angle of the crystal is different, the brightness of each angle of the glass is the same; the crystal is cut with glass, the glass has scratches, the traces can not be wiped off, and the crystal is not damaged; the crystal is cut with glass, crystal There was a slight scratch on it, but it was wiped away and the glass was damaged.

1. Compare the price

The price of a crystal cup is more expensive than regular glass. The crystal content of the wine glass determines its price and quality.

2. Look at clarity

Superior wine glasses usually have a thinner wall and a better appearance. The crystal cup reflects the wine more accurately and clearly.

3Touch cup wall hardness

Crystal cups generally have a stronger hardness than ordinary glass and are more resistant to wear.

4. Look at refraction

Crystal can absorb the luster, so the crystal cup rotates against the light. The crystal has birefringence, like fine crafts, while ordinary glassware has no gloss and no refraction.

5. Listen to the sound

With a light tap, the glass makes a "beep, bang" sound, and the crystal is a crisp, metallic sound with a sly echo.

6.Body feel

The coolness of the crystal feels long-lasting, but the glass will feel warm and the heat transfer speed will be fast!

7.Smelling aroma

The wine in the crystal cup smells fresh, clean and rich. The wine in the glass is very scented and the smell is not so rich.

8. Weight measurement

Two wine glasses of the same size, crystal products are heavier than glass.