Since their inception centuries ago, crystal giftware has been the epitome of giving gifts and showing appreciation to a friend or loved one. Combining a beautiful crystal set together with a bottle of wine or champagne is a practical and easy gift solution that has stood the test of time. The brilliance in simplicity has allowed glass gifts to stand the test of time and remain as popular as ever. Bohemian Crystal and Waterford Crystal have become synonymous with crystal giftware and have established themselves as the two leaders of this time-honored tradition.

The production of Cristal de Bohemia began as a result of the abundance of natural resources found in the countryside of Czechoslovakia (formerly known as Bohemia). Bohemian glass cutters found that potash combined with chalk created a clear colorless glass that was more stable than glass from Italy. It was at this time that the term Bohemian crystal first emerged in history to distinguish its qualities from glass from elsewhere. This unique Czech crystal can be cut with a wheel.

Bohemia became the breeding ground for skilled artisans who worked artistically with glass. Bohemian glass became famous for its excellent carving and engraving. They became skilled glassmaking masters in neighboring and distant countries. In the mid-19th century, a glass-making technical school system was created that encouraged traditional and innovative techniques as well as technical preparation.

In the second half of the 19th century, Bohemia sought out the export trade and mass produced colored glass for shipment around the world. Pairs of vases were produced in a single color from opaque glass or in glass wrapped in two colors. These were decorated with thickly glazed floral motifs that were painted very quickly. Others were decorated with colored lithographic prints that copied famous paintings. These glassware were manufactured in large quantities in large factories and were available by mail order throughout Europe and America. They were not considered fine arts, but they provided inexpensive decorative objects to brighten up ordinary homes. Reverse glass painting was also a specialty of the Czechs. The image is carefully hand painted onto the back of a glass panel, using a variety of techniques and materials, after which the painting is mounted on a beveled wooden frame. Glass craftsmanship remained at a high level even under the communists because it was not considered an ideological threat to communism.

This continuing standard of excellence has allowed the products to maintain their reputation as a premium in gift ideas for centuries. With the unique characteristics of bohemian glassware coupled with generations of glass cutting experience, each piece has a reputation for creating a lasting impression. The true value of a gift is how highly regarded the recipient keeps their gift after a while. There is no better example of that than when not in use, bohemian glass almost always finds its way into the centerpiece of any display case and creates a lasting impression.

Czechoslovakia produced many fine glass cutting experts. Few would be as influential in this craft as Charles Bacik. Charles would grow up in this tradition and learn the secrets of fantastic glass and crystal cutting to open numerous factories specializing in this field. However, as his factories were being taken over by the Communists after World War II, he emigrated to Ireland. In 1947, in association with the owner of a Dublin gift shop, Bernard Fitzpatrick, he founded Waterford Glass. In 1950, the company was in financial difficulties and transferred ownership to the Irish Glass Bottle Company. He continued to work for the company as a manager until 1974 and as a board member until 1984. Under his leadership and direction, Waterford Crystal would become one of the undisputed leaders in crystal gift making.

Waterford Crystal designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of crystal stemware, barware and giftware for worldwide distribution. In recent years, Waterford has built on its reputation as a leading source of prestigious tableware and gifts by expanding into several new businesses. With the launch of the Marquis by Waterford there have been significant expansions in table tops and gifts. This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to creating prestigious products whose classic designs transcend time.

Today Waterford Crystal has very strong ties to its illustrious predecessor. There is the same dedication to the purity of color, the same design inspiration, and the same pursuit of the highest possible levels of quality. The traditional cutting patterns made famous by Waterford artisans became the basis for the design of the new company’s growing range of products.

Today Waterford Crystal is one of the leaders in premium crystal and creates magnificent handcrafted crystal glasses, giftware and lighting designed and manufactured to the highest standards. People who are lucky enough to have experienced Waterford Crystal simply consider it the best for personal and gift shopping.

The question of deciding between Bohemian or Waterford crystal is irrelevant. Both companies have built a reputation based on products that are the result of centuries of craftsmanship and adaptation to new technologies and methods to ensure that the customer receives the best glassware available, and the consumer simply cannot go wrong choosing either one.