In a world where lead has disappeared from paints, cosmetics; in fact from almost everything, it's strange to find an area in which its presence is positively encouraged!

Under European law, glassware containing 24% to 32% lead can be described as full lead crystal. Georgian Crystal fulfils this criterion and therefore could officially be called full lead crystal. But on the basis that this is too much of a mouthful, we prefer simply to call it lead crystal and trust our customers to recognise the quality of our products.

Lead is used in the manufacture of fine glassware both for aesthetic and practical reasons. It makes glass easier to cut accurately, and therefore allows greater intricacy of design. But more importantly, it provides a characteristic lustre to the glass, making it appear clearer, and to sparkle more, than an unleaded item. Fine lead crystal has a slight grey cast to its transparency, throwing the highlights of the cutting into more defined contrast. This lustre is quite difficult to identify at first, but standing the crystal next to an ordinary glass will make the difference far more obvious.

Lead, of course, is extremely heavy. When you pick up full lead crystal you may be surprised at its weight. Again, this is a clear indication of lead content. The substantial weight of our glassware is an integral part of the pleasure of using it. When you're choosing crystal, weigh it in your hand and feel the balance of the piece; ideally it shouldn't feel too top heavy, bearing in mind that different types of glass are to be held in different positions - white wine glasses are held by the stem, while red are held by the bowl, brandy balloons are cupped in the palm, and so on. This is very much a case of "if it feels right, it is right".

Now look at the glass against the light. Don't be surprised to see slight imperfections, even bubbles, in the glass itself. In fact, if you don't see them, this may be an indication that you're looking at a machine-made item. Fine hand-made crystal contains flow lines, bubbles and slight irregularities in the rim; these are regarded as desirable effects that denote its hand crafted origin.

Use your thumb to feel the edges of the engraving. While it should never be sharp - that would be a sign of poor finishing - there should be no perceptible radius to the edges of the cutting. Cheaper moulded glassware can never achieve the crispness of engraved items. Again, there might be slight irregularities in the cutting.

But the final, most telling test of all is to look at the glass as a whole. It should have a balance of form; an elegance of proportions that make it look like a single, coherent design. And if all of this leads you to a positive conclusion, buy it!