May 26th (Sunday) - Waterford Crystal Factory! (Daily Diary)
Mary got old today! (p.s. that is 1952 and NOT 1852)
The day was amazing, the intermittent rain keeps everything pretty.
We had breakfast before the drive.
We are off to meet get our auto which is being brought to us!
Bye bye, see you later!
It was a super day for driving.... so far!
This is what is called a "Death Grip"
on the steering wheel!
We hit the road at 10:00 am with an 11:00 am appointment at Waterford. We got the GPS to work with the car, so it was easy to get there.
We rolled into Waterford with 15 minutes to spare. Some friendly folks pointed us to the parking lot, and we checked in at 10:58, right on time. We had a private tour with our docent, who I kept in stitches during the tour.
The House of Waterford is located in Waterford, Ireland, a Viking city built in 914 AD. This esteemed factory is the beating heart of the world's luxury crystal manufacture and is where our most intricate, authentic and masterful crystal pieces come to life. The factory is situated at the center of the Viking Triangle in Waterford, a cluster of museums which detail the proud history of this great city.
During our visit to the House of Waterford we treated ourself to our Afternoon Tea Experience! We took some time to unwind and indulge in luxurious treats and specialty teas or coffee served on Wedgwood fine bone china. Afternoon tea includes three courses: scones with cream and jam, mouthwatering savory sandwiches, and a selection of exquisite desserts.
The first stop was an all-crystal grandfather clock.
Not only is it beautiful it keeps perfect time. So does the crystal clock!
We passed through two sets of security doors and entered the manufacturing area.
The molds are made of locally sources Beechwood.
The molds are made from local beechwood. The insides of the molds are burnt where the hot glass touches them. The wood is soaked in water between uses and lasts just a few days before it has to be replaced with a new mold.
They make several hundred molds a week depending upon the orders.
All the modern equipment.
You can kinda guess what the results will be after going into the molds.
Amazing amount of work going into making the molds precise!
Some molds are pretty fancy.
Getting ready to blow the glass!
The crystal is formed using beechwood molds held by the glassblower. The glass is shaped and then expanded by blowing into the pipe. After that, the glass is reshaped and reheated. This entire process takes almost 30 minutes. The glassblower must undergo five years of training and pass a strict test.
MOLDING Waterford is one of few crystal manufacturers today that still practices the ancient craft of mold making. For this discipline, very little has changed over the centuries - a shining testament to the innovations of our 18th century Master Craftsmen. Wood molds and hand tools of beech and pear woods are used by our Master Blowers to shape the molten crystal. Due to the searing heat of the crystal, these molds have a life span of just 7-10 days.
The glass is over 3,000 degrees in the oven.
The boule is initially formed using the Beechwood forms.
Then the operators blows into the steel tube expanding the boule into the desired shape.
Using the forms, the glass boule is rotated until it fits the form.
Did You Know? - Glass and crystal are both made by being heated in a furnace until molten. They are then blown by a glassblower and shaped into the desired designs. However, the two materials do feature various differences, from their chemical composition and weight down to how they refract light and reverberate sound. We take a close look at their differences below to clarify why crystal comes with a higher price point.
Appearance Differences
Glass: Glass is often slightly foggy in appearance and can typically feature a tint based on the ingredients in its composition. It can have a green tint if made with iron or a blue tint if made with soda-lime.
Crystal: Crystal boasts incredible clarity, which makes it a desirable choice for high-end glassware and decorations.
Weight Differences
Glass: Glass is lighter in weight in comparison to crystal pieces of the same design.
Crystal: Because crystal contains lead or other metals, it tends to be heavier in weight than standard glass of the same design.
Thickness Differences
Glass: Due to the soda-lime in its chemical composition, glass requires a high working temperature and hardens rather quickly after being heated, which results in a thick rim. The material is more fragile than crystal so most cup rims will be reinforced for added strength.
Crystal: Crystal can be heated at lower temperatures than glass because of the lead and potassium carbonate in the composition. This allows for the glassblower to more easily work the material and make it thin. The additional chemicals also help the material to remain strong while being stretched further than glass.
Cut Differences
Glass: Since glass hardens more quickly than crystal, it offers little time to be cut by hand. The material is generally too hot to manage with gloves so glass is typically bent into shape while hot or blown into a mold. Any cuts on the surface are usually sharp, rigid, and brittle.
Crystal: Since crystal is strengthened by its minerals, it is soft enough to add smooth hand-cut details to its surface without compromising its durability. The material is more malleable than glass, allowing the artist to add intricate patterns. The cuts can then be buffed and polished without fear of shattering the structure.
The kilns are used to relieve the stresses within the crystal; the crystal stays in about 48 hours at 2400 degrees.
The overheads are loaded with cables and wires as well as tubing for gases.
The noise was not too bad.
Each crystal masterpiece is carefully inspected after each stage of production. Only pieces within our strict quality standards are allowed through to the next step of the process. There are six stringent inspections, and if at any stage the crystal is not considered to be of luxury quality, it is rejected, smashed and sent back to the furnace for re-melting. Adhering to these high standards paved the way for our pieces to become the pinnacle of luxury crystal.
He grinds away the rough edges.
A little polishing was needed.
Everything was hand-held requiring many years of training.
The rough edges were removed.
The Master Cutters practices two types of cutting: Wedge Cutting and Flat Cutting. Advances in technology enable the Master Cutter to employ industrial diamond-tipped wheels to cut the crystal. These fine instruments apply the highest quality cut to each piece, adorning them with carefully crafted facets and outstanding brilliance.
The Master Cutter must rely on his skill to judge the exact pressure that is required to hold the crystal to the wheel, as too much will create a damaging cut that could shatter the crystal.
Examples of the in-process work was on display.
Amazing; this piece required 250 separate hand-done cuts.
Next we go to the engraving and custom cuts area.
Our docent was quite knowledgeable.
I had to check out if it was done properly.
It passed my inspection!
Hand drawn marks were on the ready-to-be-cut crystal ware.
A magnificent basket ball was done for the NBA.
The cutting area was loaded with machinery. During the week every machine was occupied.
No automatic machine here!
They had one single automatic machine which is not used very much.
It was almost 70 pounds! DO NOT DROP IT!!!
Not easy to pack and take home.
We instantly thought of Robin!
The method of forming a luxury crystal sculpture is similar to forming one of stone, except we trade the mallets and stone chisels for cutting wheels. Our Master Sculptor works three-dimensionally to sculpt his creation from a solid block of crystal. Due to its' painstaking nature, completion of a sculpted crystal piece can take weeks and even months depending on size and complexity.
Certain machine were used for sculpting.
Amazinf details are added to the glass, all by hand!
ENGRAVING The type of copper wheel engraving used at in the House of Waterford Crystal is called 'Intaglio,' which means "reverse." The deeper the engraver etches into the crystal, the more prominent the object appears. For international sporting trophies and large, limited edition inspiration pieces, it can take anywhere from a few hours to many days to complete the engraving.
The artists now use their training.
The surfer is engraved and looks to be 3-D!
The copper instruments are ready for use.
Special artwork is often generated.
Each piece has its own style.
A magnificent piece.
Mary selected her birthday president!
Decisions decisions, perhaps the champagne will help!
Here to you!
Me???
Little ole me?
A spot of tea was perfect!
There were five museums directly across from Waterford.
An idea gone wrong!
We selected the Medieval Museum to visit before we returned to Mount Juliet.
They displayed the ancient items inside old wine barrels.
People (some) did have nice things a thousand years ago!
This building was used in the wine trade.
Wine barrels were stored underground to protect them from the constant rain.
The building would make a great bomb shelter.
Waterford in the 13th century, a walled city.
The vestments were originals and carefully environmentally controlled.
It was worn but it would have been amazing when in original condition.
Adam and Eve or Paul and Mary!
Wine barrels were hand loaded onto the ships.
The dress of the common folks was pretty basic.
The longbow was an amazing invention.
Did You Know? - Middle Ages In the Middle Ages the English and Welsh were famous for their very powerful longbows, used en masse to great effect against the French in the Hundred Years' War, with notable success at the battles of Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415).
During the reign of Edward III of England, laws were passed allowing fletchers and bowyers to be impressed into the army and enjoining them to practice archery. The dominance of the longbow on the battlefield continued until the French began to use cannon to break the formations of English archers at the Battle of Formigny (1450) and the Battle of Castillon (1453).
Their use continued in the Wars of the Roses. They survived as a weapon of war in England well beyond the introduction of effective firearms.
The Battle of Flodden (1513) was "a landmark in the history of archery, as the last battle on English soil to be fought with the longbow as the principal weapon..."
May I introduce Queen Mary!
A smile that could launch a war!
...or turn people to stone!
Prince Paul.
We got married in 1170 right on this spot. (Read the label)
From the museum, the Waterford factory was across the street.
Goodbye Waterford.
We walked to the car and headed home!
Just what we need, rain!
When it rains, the street shrink and get narrower.
Almost home!
When cars go by we inhale!
All the streets have some sort of hedge on either side.
We made it back to Mount Juliet.
After Mary got me out of the trunk of the car and unwrapped my fire-resistant blank and unclenched my hands from the first-aid kit and fire extinguisher, we went inside for a drink.
We struck up a conversation and then it was full speed ahead.
How come Lar gets all the ladies!
We met some wonderful people in the pub! Aimee and Lar!
We managed to drink a fair amount of Ireland's finest.
We decided to have dinner together!
Dang she is pretty!
I started day dreaming (with the aid of a little AI)
Aimee was a real kick; we all just hit it off.
The ladies were amazing to watch.
Us, not so much!
Click the image to see the full sized mage!
Hey, it is the Emerald Isle.
Scallops in Ireland are wonderful.
Pour that wine!
What is Aimee up to??
These ladies are head turners!
We owe Lar a Odessy 1900
Well, hello there or as we say in Ireland "Come up and see me sometime".
No matter what she says, "I am Man!"
Was it the last whiskey making me eye deceive me?
Aimee is in the dream also!
Oh my! Back to my childhood.
At your service M'am.
