Elite Bohemia Crystal Lighting Fixturers and Chandeliers

<body> <p>In most designs, the major cost of a Crystal Chandelier is the price of the Crystal components. The quantity and shapes of the Crystal utilized to trim the Chandelier and most importantly, as in grades of diamonds, the crystal quality determines the price. The buyer of crystal is at heart a collector and understands the importance of choosing a crystal chandelier of heirloom quality. Crystal may be machine-cut, hand-cut or molded. The finest crystal in the world, Strass® is manufactured by Swarovski AG in the Austrian Alps. A passion for perfection has made Swarovski the world leader in the production of cut crystal. The methods of producing hand-cut crystal go back centuries. First the crystal is cut by hand in two stages on an iron and then a sandstone wheel. Then each crystal is hand-polished on a wood wheel with marble dust. You may notice faint traces of the woodwheel, a mark of authenticity. Exceptionally fine hand-cut crystal, formerly used only in optical equipment and scientific instruments, is remarkably refractive and dresses our chandeliers exquisitely. Venetian crystal is molded and fire-polished rather than cut, which results in a subtle luminosity rather than brilliance. Interior designers often prefer the antique look of Venetian crystal. Vintage crystal recalls estate jewelry or perhaps a vintage crystal chandelier found in the attic. Nostalgic shapes include whimsical little beads, dainty droplets and tiny antique-style faceted ovals. Chains upon chains of fanciful beading or jewel-like octagons recall forgotten fashions. Rock crystal is a natural quartz prized by collectors since ancient times. Wondrous fissures and mists, billions of years in the forming, make each crystal unique in the universe. The raw crystal is mined, not manufactured, It cannot be mass-produced. Skilled gemcutters grind, cut and polish each rock crystal by hand. Polishing one crystal to perfection might take a week. Rock crystal is cool to the touch in any weather. Sublime geological events created this mysterious coolness. The characteristics that distinguish fine crystal are apparent to the naked eye. Possible imperfections include lack of clarity, bubbles, chips and scratches. Rock crystal is judged differently from glass crystal. Inclusions, fissures and constellations are considered a mark of beauty in this natural quartz. Lead content is not necessarily a guarantee of fine quality. Lead simply acts as a softening agent, making glass easier to cut and polish. Crystal is transparent glass of a high degree of brilliance and optical purity, appreciated for its decorative beauty. The fire and brilliance of crystal comes from the refraction of light passing through a prism. The same phenomenon causes rainbows. A piece of crystal is like a diamond in that its value depends on the quality of its material and how it is cut. The earliest-known crystal chandeliers appeared in the sixteenth century and were dressed with rock crystal (a transparent crystalline form of quartz) of irregular shapes. The idea was to increase and enhance the modest power of candlelight. By the seventeenth century, Baroque-period artisans had become expert at cutting rock crystal for chandeliers. The antique shapes designed at that time are still in use today. The first chandelier trimmings made of glass rather than rock crystal were manufactured in France late in the seventeenth century. The term "crystal" persisted, even after transparent glass became the preferred material. Complete crystal chandeliers formed entirely of glass were manufactured originally in Murano, an island just north of Venice. The Venetians guarded their secrets of glassmaking with deadly seriousness, sending assassins after any artisan who escaped from Murano. Eventually the manufacture of crystal spread to Bohemia, Spain, England and Ireland. By the nineteenth century, Bohemia had become the world’s leading producer of fine crystal. This beautiful Chandelier is made using the highest quality materials. Each chandelier is built by an expert craftsmen from start to finish to ensure that every single piece is perfect. A chandelier is a fixture fixed at the ceiling with two or more arms bearing lights. It was first used in medieval churches and abbeys in order to efficiently illuminate large rooms and halls. During those times, a chandelier usually took the form of a wooden cross that has spikes in order to secure it. From then on, chandeliers took on more elaborate forms. It was not only used for lighting purposes, it took on decorative and aesthetic functions. It was not surprising that chandeliers are found in palaces and home of the rich. Chandeliers, eventually, became a symbol of wealth. The word chandelier, meaning candleholder, comes from ‘chandelle’, the french word for candle. it's applied to a light fixture suspended from the ceiling, usually having branch supports and two or more candles or electric lights. The term "Strass" means "perfect surface of glass" machine cut and machine polished containing lead quantities of 30% or more. Machine polishing leaves no trace of polishing on the surface of the crystal. Swarovski Strass, manufactured in Austria, is considered the premium brand of Strass due to a patented anti-dust coating and name recognition. Strass crystal is considered the highest quality of crystal trim traditionally used for the production of crystal chandeliers throughout the world. Machine polished lead free crystal is the closest quality level to Strass crystal. High quality machine polishing leaves no trace of the polishing on the facets of the crystal. Swarovski Spectra is the most recognized brand and is used extensively in crystal chandelier manufacturering. While hand-cut, hand-crafted Crystal is considered to be of a slightly lower quality than Strass Crystal, there are many who would argue that its hand crafted nature elevates it above machine made crystal. When looking closely into the facets of hand polished crystal one can see slight grooves in the crystal left by the polishing wheel as each facet of the crystal was pressed by hand and individually polished. These slight grooves, apparent only from very close scrutiny, lay testament that it is a hand crafted piece of crystal made of exceptional skill and craftsmanship. Many people within the industry have mistaken this crystal for Strass in error. The most important factor in choosing a chandelier is the size and nature of the room in which it will hang. Measure the ceiling height first. If the chandelier is being installed over a table, the general rule is for the chandelier to hang between 30"-36" off of the tabletop and to be roughly 2/3rds the width of the table (+/- 5 inches). These are rough measurements used within the industry. When installed over a walkway or within a space such as a 2-story foyer, the minimum height of installation should be 7'. Most often it is necessary to take into account windows or architectural accents. In a two story installation where the second story looks down upon the room, most design professionals agree that a fixture should not hang below the second floor. The art of glass cutting was born in Prague in the 1500's immediately following the establishment of a diamond cutting workshop. A local cutter began using the diamond tools to engrave mouth blown glass, unleashing a revolution in the decoration of glass and crystal. From the 1700's to the early 1920's Czech Crystal surpassed the popularity of other European nations as the most sought after glass products in the world.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br>  </p> <table border="0" width="100%" id="table1"> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a href="../mainmenu1.htm" target="_top" style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Back to Lightingforum.Com</b></font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <hr> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <font face="Arial" size="2"><b>These Series Appearing Soon...</b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left">  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a target="_top" href="http://www.lightingforum.com/crystal/crystal_chandelier_index.htm"> Other Crystal Chandeliers</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left">  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left">  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left">  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <hr> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a href="http://www.merchantmanager.com/lightingforum/storefront.asp?pageno=111" target="main" style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Search Our Catalog</b></font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a href="http://www.merchantmanager.com/lightingforum/mmcalc.asp?id=lightingforum" target="Lightingforum Main Welcome Screen" style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>View Shopping Cart</b></font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a href="../feedback.htm" target="main" style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Contact Us</b></font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a href="../faq.htm" target="main" style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Frequently Asked Questions</b></font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a href="../privacy_policy.htm" target="main" style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Privacy & Use Policy</b></font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a href="../about_lightingforum.htm" target="main" style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>About Lightingforum</b></font></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="left"> <a href="../site_map.htm" target="main" style="text-decoration: none"><b><font face="Arial" size="1">Site Map</font></b></a></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" width="450" id="table2"> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <h1 align="center"><font face="Arial" size="3"> <a target="_top" href="elite_bohemia_crystal_lighting_index.htm">Elite Bohemia Crystal Lighting</a></font></h1> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <img border="0" src="images/1160168433.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Elite Bohemia offers a full range of decorative lighting for both residential and commercial needs with a price to fit every taste, décor and budget. Our traditional style crystal lighting is produced in Europe using centuries old techniques along with the world’s finest trimmings from Austria. UL/cUL certified. We also offer custom sizes, designs, colors and finishes."></td> <td align="center"> <img border="0" src="images/1160157144.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Elite Bohemia offers a full range of decorative lighting for both residential and commercial needs with a price to fit every taste, décor and budget. Our traditional style crystal lighting is produced in Europe using centuries old techniques along with the world’s finest trimmings from Austria. UL/cUL certified. We also offer custom sizes, designs, colors and finishes."></td> <td align="center"> <img border="0" src="images/1160168861.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Elite Bohemia offers a full range of decorative lighting for both residential and commercial needs with a price to fit every taste, décor and budget. Our traditional style crystal lighting is produced in Europe using centuries old techniques along with the world’s finest trimmings from Austria. UL/cUL certified. We also offer custom sizes, designs, colors and finishes."></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <img border="0" src="images/1160168714.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Elite Bohemia offers a full range of decorative lighting for both residential and commercial needs with a price to fit every taste, décor and budget. Our traditional style crystal lighting is produced in Europe using centuries old techniques along with the world’s finest trimmings from Austria. UL/cUL certified. We also offer custom sizes, designs, colors and finishes."></td> <td align="center"> <img border="0" src="images/1160159637.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Elite Bohemia offers a full range of decorative lighting for both residential and commercial needs with a price to fit every taste, décor and budget. Our traditional style crystal lighting is produced in Europe using centuries old techniques along with the world’s finest trimmings from Austria. UL/cUL certified. We also offer custom sizes, designs, colors and finishes."></td> <td align="center"> <img border="0" src="images/1160157265.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Elite Bohemia offers a full range of decorative lighting for both residential and commercial needs with a price to fit every taste, décor and budget. Our traditional style crystal lighting is produced in Europe using centuries old techniques along with the world’s finest trimmings from Austria. UL/cUL certified. We also offer custom sizes, designs, colors and finishes."></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <p align="justify"><font face="Arial">Elite Bohemia offers a full range of decorative lighting for both residential and commercial needs with a price to fit every taste, décor and budget.<br> <br> Our traditional style crystal lighting is produced in Europe using centuries old techniques along with the world’s finest trimmings from Austria. UL/cUL certified. We also offer custom sizes, designs, colors and finishes.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <p align="center"><font size="1" face="Arial"><a href="http://www.lightingforum.com" target="_top">Lightingforum.Com All Rights Reserved.</a></font></td> </tr> </table> <p align="center"> <script type="text/javascript"> </script><noscript><div id="nneXTReMe"><img height="1" width="1" alt="" src="http://nht-2.extreme-dm.com/n2.g?login=aimrite1&url=nojs&j=n&jv=n&pv=" /> </div></noscript>  <script type="text/javascript"> </script><noscript><div id="nneXTReMe"><img height="1" width="1" alt="" src="http://nht-2.extreme-dm.com/n2.g?login=aimrite1&url=nojs&j=n&jv=n&pv=" /> </div></noscript> </p> </body>