Optic crystal used in awards and trophies is 100 % lead free. The absence of lead makes optic crystal extremely hard. Because of its hardness we can polish crystal to flawlessly smooth surfaces as well as cut it and bevel it with brilliant edges. Optic crystal is produced in sheets of molten material up to three inches thick and before it hardens, crystal is subjected to extreme pressure to remove any air bubbles, inclusions or flaws. Optic crystal is polished, cut and beveled by hand with ultimate skill and precision. "Handcut crystal" means the item is held against a spinning stone to cut the design. It is truly artistic workmanship at its best, which requires decades of experience! Crystal without lead is not any less valuable than full lead crystal particularly when it is thick and heavy and finely designed. In fact, clear uncut crystal has to be particularly fine quality because the flaws can not be hidden by the cuts. Using optic crystal in our awards manifests the ultimate recognition of excellence and appreciation. Crystal, with its exceptionally high perceived value, has been sought after and treasured for generations, and remains a status symbol even today.

Recently we introduced colored crystal as the new addition to our corporate awards and trophies collection. Special additives change the color of crystal to a desired shade and hue without changing its physical properties such as flawlessness, hardness, reflection.

The surface of the colored optic crystal is smooth and the inclusions such as swirls or bubbles are absent. For example to make crystal black, a special bouquet of chemical additives (Fe2O3, CuO, MnO2, CO2O3) is added to the molten form.

When the optic crystal hardens the color becomes uniform throughout the material. Black or other colored crystal is not translucent like clear crystal. The combination of colored and clear crystal in the same award provides an esthetically pleasing contrast and makes a bold statement.

Another popular trend in the award industry is incorporating art glass components into award and trophy designs. Art glass production is characterized by experimentation with various materials that create impressive artistic effects. It takes great skill and precision to create art glass components for they are made individually by hand and by most accomplished glass artists.

Each art glass piece is a unique creation; thus sizes, colors, translucency grade vary from piece to piece. During the process of hand molding small air bubbles and other color particles may get trapped inside the glass. This is characteristic of art glass and by no means a defect. Air bubbles and material particles add character and uniqueness to art glass awards.

Engraving is the process of cutting into the surface of an annealed glass object either by holding it against a rotating copper wheel fed with an abrasive or by scratching it, usually with a diamond.

Carving is the removal of crystal from the surface of an object by means of hand-held tools.

Cutting is the technique whereby crystal is removed from the surface of an object by grinding it with a rotating wheel made of stone, wood, or metal, and an abrasive suspended in liquid as the cutter holds the object against the upper, or top, side of the rotating wheel.

Sand-blasting or Deep etching is an engraving technique which allows logo and text to be reproduced on crystal awards with great precision. A design is transferred to a stencil and attached to crystal with special adhesives. Then abrasive sand is blasted to the stenciled award area at extreme pressure. The design is permanently engraved into crystal with beautiful deep grooves.

Naturally occurring crystal such as obsidian volcanic glass was first used by humans for weaponry such as arrowheads and spear heads. The oldest glass produced by men dates back to 3600 BC.  Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians made glass beads for decorative purposes.  About 1700 BC production of cups, vessels, and decorative objects spreads in Western Asia.  Glass was considered a luxury material and was reserved for society elites.  Optic crystal is the purest form of glass derived by the latest technological advances to eliminate any impurities in glass.  Optic crystal is so pristine it is used in telescopes to peer into galaxies light centuries away.  It is the element that represents past and future which we choose to create our crystal awards and trophies – ageless tokens of gratitude.