When most people think of high-end crystal, they think of traditional leaded crystal, for example, a wine glass that has that wonderful, somewhat heavy hand feeling that glows with a faceted luster, and the lovely ring. and singing that resonates when you play. that. That kind of glass. For a long time, only leaded crystal produced these exquisite attributes. While lead crystal remains extremely popular, there is another type of high-quality glass that can provide the same experience.
Normal glass
“Normal” glass, such as a typical water glass, beer glass, glass baking dish, etc., is what is known as soda lime glass. Not particularly shiny or beautiful, but functional and, in most cases, much more durable than glass. Soda lime glass consists of several main ingredients: soda ash, lime, dolomite, silicon dioxide, and aluminum oxide, along with minor amounts of other ingredients called “clarifying agents.” These ingredients are melted together in an oven at a very high temperature. The melted liquid settles a bit to allow the bubbles to rise, this is called “honing”. Then the glass is formed by different processes depending on the purpose of the final product, that is, drinking glass, window glass, windshield, etc. In the case of traditional glass, lead is added.
Lead crystal
Traditional lead crystal adds another ingredient to the normal glass mix: lead oxide. The addition of lead produces a couple of unique attributes that make glass “crystal.” Soda glass contains molecules that have no structure, which is known as amorphous. There is no specific order, but they are closely linked, which makes soda lime glass more durable. Lead crystal molecules have a different three-dimensional order. These molecules produce the sparkling glow in the glass. Glass has a higher “refractive index” than normal glass and the higher the index, the brighter. Adding lead to glass also causes it to melt at a lower temperature and makes it absorb less energy than soda glass. This is what makes the crystal sound when you touch it.
Lead free crystal
While lead crystal purists will probably always use it, there is now an alternative with the same features. This provides an option for those who enjoy high quality glass but are concerned about the lead content in anything that contains consumables. This is relevant mainly in decanters, which I will address in a moment. When making lead-free crystal glass, lead is replaced by barium oxide (BaCO3). The introduction of barium oxide produces a glass with a comparatively high refractive index, which subsequently increases its brightness. Barium oxide is also lighter than lead oxide, which makes the glass lighter and has about the same durability. For those concerned about the lead content in their glassware, as mentioned above, it really only raises a health issue for crystal decanters. The reason is that wine and spirits are generally kept in decanters for longer than a glass of wine. This produces a longer window of time for lead to possibly leach out. Personally, I don’t store wine in decanters for a long time; for me, it’s more about aeration and presentation, so I’m not worried about the problem at all.
Lead crystal vs. Lead free crystal
It’s really just a matter of personal preference if you want to choose one over the other. There are several high-end crystal manufacturers that make exquisite lead-free crystals. I have used both extensively and the only real difference that I have noticed is the weight variation. Either way, the wines taste much better in a high-quality crystal glass than in a regular glass any day of the week.
Health!
