Lead is used in the manufacture of xskeyphrase 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.

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.

Situated in the small intimate factory - once a silk mill - visitors are welcomed and invited at no cost to watch the modest team of highly skilled craftsmen practice their unique art, from glass blowing to the incredible art of cutting and engraving - an opportunity not to be missed!