Bohemian glass, also referred to as Bohemia crystal, is glass produced in the regions of Bohemia and Silesia, now parts of the Czech Republic. It has a centuries long history of being internationally recognised for its high quality, craftsmanship, beauty and often innovative designs. Hand-cut, engraved, blown and painted decorative glassware ranging from champagne flutes to enormous chandeliers.
The oldest archaeological excavations of glass-making sites in the region date to around 1250 and are located in the Lusatian Mountains of Northern Bohemia. The meaning of crystal versus glass changes according to the country. The word “crystal” assumes, in most of the Western world, the presence of lead. In the European Union, only glass products containing at least 24% lead oxide may be referred to as “lead crystal”. Products with less lead oxide, or glass products with other metal oxides used in place of lead oxide, must be labelled “crystallin” or “crystal glass”. The presence of lead in crystal softens the glass and makes it more accessible for cutting and engraving. Lead increases the weight of the glass and causes the glass to disperse light. Glass can contain up to 40% lead, if maximum hardness is desired. On the other hand, crystal can contain less than 24% lead if it has a high proportion of barium oxide, which ensures high quality light diffraction.
Bohemian glass-workers discovered potash combined with chalk created a clear colourless glass that was more stable than glass from Italy. In the 16th century the term Bohemian crystal was used for the first time to distinguish its qualities from glass made elsewhere. This glass contained no lead as is commonly suspected. In addition, resources such as wood for firing the kilns and for burning down to ashes were used to create potash. There were also copious amounts of limestone and silica. Silicon dioxide is the most important component of glass and of silicates, the most common form of which is quartz.
In December (no exclusively, though), we get the opportunity to use champagne glasses and imbibe the famous Parisian drink considered to be the symbol of elegance and refinement, reserved for parties and special occasions. It is important to choose the appropriate champagne glasses; the quality, style, shape and thickness of the glass will help in maintaining the level of air in the liquid.
One of the most attractive types of champagne glasses are crystal glasses, made with elegant insertions and decorated manually with cuts and finishings. Although this type of glass is not fully transparent, the drinker will still be able to view the colour of the champagne through its reflection.
The elongated glasses known as flutes are the main recommendation when it comes to champagne glasses, since the shape of the bowl is practical and adds a perfect note to the pure flavour of the highest-quality champagne. The cylindrical bowl which narrows at the top will prevent the bubbles in the liquid from easily evaporating, keeping the champagne fresh for an extended time. The stem of the champagne flute is long enough to easily avoid the liquid becoming warm, and keeps the champagne cool.
