In this article on high-end crystal and glass, we will discuss the market’s trends, the product’s qualities, and different sales and presentation techniques. However, we would be remiss not to acknowledge the aspect of the market that has clearly had the most influence on those who have worked with crystal and glass this past year: prices.

Barry Slee of CrystalEdge®, in Chicago, Illinois, notes, “The main trend has been towards lower and mid-range cost products. The number of orders for high-end pieces have declined due to, first, more competition, second, customer budgets being reduced, third, other high-perceived-value products that are not glass or crystal that are now on the market.”

Mark Badash of Badash Crystal in Deer Park, New York, says there are other trends in pricing as well, and they have been influenced by factors beyond the control of domestic manufacturers, retailers and their customers.

“Europe has dramatically increased their prices in the last 12 to 24 months. In the last six months, China has done it as well. We’ve raised prices more in the last 12 months than we did the 20 previous years,” says Badash.

He adds that there are several explanations for the increase in prices. “One of them is oil, obviously. The cost of oil is a factor because it runs the big furnaces in glass factories, which must be kept going day and night. The cost of the devaluation of the dollar against the Euro is also a big factor. It’s happened with China as well; the dollar has dropped 20 percent against the Chinese currency in the last year.”

The final factor, says Badash, and the one that a lot of people don’t really know much about, is that the European Union has dramatically changed things in Europe. It has increased wages and expenses, even in inexpensive countries such as Poland.

“Those manufacturers are seeing increased overhead costs, and they’re losing workers. I think two million people have left Poland in the last two years to go to France, England, Spain and other countries to find higher-paying jobs,” says Badash.

Styling Trends

However, financial trends are not the only of their type currently changing the market. Aesthetic changes in design style and color have also contributed to the market’s direction toward diversity.

“There’s a trend away from the traditional cut crystal and towards more contemporary clear and colorful art glass,” says Badash.

Lucy Wu of Topmost World in San Francisco, California, seconds that observation, saying that the incorporation of colored crystal with the traditional clear crystal is becoming the new corporate trend in the awards industry. “For example, blue crystals are very popular with corporations. The color blue is often used or associated with company logos; therefore, corporations normally seek to purchase awards that would match their corporate identity.”

Wu points out green crystals are popular with corporations who want to show their concern for the environment, another new trend. “It can be associated with their corporate culture or operations. Corporations or customers whose core value is for the environment will have a high demand for eco-friendly products.”

Wu adds that incorporating metal components into a design brings a more contemporary look. “This new look is more appealing to, and is favored by, the new-aged corporations, like technology, electronics, etc.”

Mark Zhu of SCT Crystal in South El Monte, California, has seen similar trends. “In the last few years, high-end crystal awards, especially in a combination of clear crystal and colored crystal, have been the trend of crystal awards and corporate gifts. A combination of clear optical crystal and black or blue optical crystal offers many creative options for personalizing with different messages in each colored panel and can be engraved with a laser. It can be really dramatic and interesting.”

Jay Donlin of Visions Awards, in Celina, Ohio, has seen other trends, noting that the biggest change is the diversity of the products being offered in glass and optical crystal by many suppliers.

“The old traditional pieces are being replaced by contemporary pieces and also the introduction of hand-blown art crystal on optical bases,” says Donlin. “The offerings from crystal and glass sources from China, Italy and Europe (Poland and the Czech Republic) are being manufactured with the help of top designers. With corporations looking to always give something to reward an employee or a customer that is different, this has really raised the bar in this important category.”

Determining Quality & Value

With all of the new colors, style trends and new suppliers in the market, it’s as important as ever to be able to identify a good piece of crystal when you see it. What should a buyer look for?

“First of all,” says Crystal Blanc’s Victor Macchia, from their location in Erlanger, Kentucky, “all crystal is really just glass, so the quality is defined by the ‘type’ of crystal, which ranges from simply ‘glass,’ with its many imperfections, to ‘full lead crystal,’ to ‘optically clear crystal.’ Then, there are the different kinds of ways the crystal is made: machine, hand blown, etc. Because of the many different kinds of crystal there are, our companies actually publish a rating system, which we include in our catalogs, so buyers can tell exactly what they are getting.”

Zhu says the major difference between the varieties of high-end glass and crystal is clarity or refractive index. The refractive index refers to the ability of the substance to transmit light. There is a point where light will not penetrate a product and will instead be reflected. Usually, crystal is above that point and glass is below.

Wu also explains that lead crystal has actual lead content which makes the glass softer, giving it higher clarity and a higher index of refraction. Because it is soft, it can be blown fairly easily into shapes. However, it is also more susceptible to scratches, so it must be handled with greater care. She adds it is widely available in the form of glassware, such as decanters, vases, bowls, etc.

While there are some defined methods for determining quality, Donlin tells us the meaning of crystal versus glass changes according to the country.

“The word ‘crystal’ means, in most of the Western world, the presence of lead. According to European Union rules, glass goods containing less than 4% lead are defined as glass. Goods containing more than 10% lead are defined as crystal, and goods containing more than 30% lead are defined as ‘highly leaded crystal.’ In the USA, it is different. Glass is defined as crystal if it contains only 1% lead. In the Czech Republic, the term crystal is used for any exquisite, high-quality glass. Leaded crystal means crystal containing more than 24% lead oxide.”

Nonetheless, Donlin asserts that the difference between glass and crystal is evident to the naked eye. “We can see it when a crystal chandelier casts color spectrums through the whole room. The higher the lead content, the more dazzling the chandelier.”

Still, in a business, the bottom line for quality comes back to price, though there are differing opinions as to whether this is a good metric for determining quality.

Says Badash, “In too many cases, the price is determined by whose name is on it, and a lot of it is overrated. Personally, I place value on the quality of the glass, no matter where it comes from or who made it. The clarity, the color, the crispness, the smoothness of the surface and the look are the real factors in determining the quality. We buy glass and crystal made by the same guys in the same factories as the big brands.”

Yet Slee informs us, “High-end glass and crystal products normally start at around $30 wholesale for the blank. Even above this level, there is a wide difference between the quality of the raw material used, the amount of hand finishing and the quality of the packaging used. Good quality raw material will not discolor with time (normally referred to as “yellowing”). High-end glass and crystal should always be hand finished with no sharp edges, small chips, polishing blemishes or scratches. It should look perfect.”

There is certainly a gamut of crystal and glass to choose from. Find the best selection for your shop by considering the clients who are likely to purchase crystal awards and gifts. When considering the price points and styles they may be looking for, don’t become intimidated by high-end price points and the margins that go with them. Those pieces wouldn’t have been created if the manufacturer didn’t have a prospective client in mind for their purchase.

No Excuse Not To Sandblast

For those few awards retailers who do not yet offer crystal and glass pieces for personalization, what are you waiting for? With the ease of today’s personalization processes and the ability to develop business-to-business relationships for outsourcing, there really is no excuse for this lack of diversification.

Slee is emphatic on the issue, saying, “It’s a missed profits opportunity! The process of etching or engraving glass or crystal is not difficult or expensive. It can be learned in a couple of weeks, and after a few months, you will wonder why you didn’t get going with glass or crystal years ago!”

Badash is equally assertive, “Get with the program; you’re losing business! It’s a competitive world today, and you need to provide that service, I think, to be competitive in the awards industry.”

Wu makes the argument by pointing out that there is a growing demand for high-end products, and crystal and glass are considered high-end. “These products are treasured more by the end-users. Personalized crystals are valued and chosen more often for long lasting value.”

If you have high-end clients, you need high-end crystal and glass. Even if a shop doesn’t etch crystal and glass in house, they can still offer personalization on those products by outsourcing the personalization.

“Personalization is certainly one of the most important aspects of awards and recognition. If an awards shop has the ability to sandcarve or laser engrave an image onto crystal, then they have the same ability to add a personalization or name. However, for this same reason our companies offer full services with fast turnaround times, and no set-up charges. Many times we see that shop owners would prefer to let us do the work, as well as the risk of making an error. If they make an error on an expensive award, it has to go in the trash and be reordered at great cost to them. Having us do the work, with no additional charges, is a perfect insurance policy for award shops,” says Macchia.

Donlin points out that in addition to losing the lucrative sales crystal may garner, an awards business without this option is at risk of losing customers to a diversified shop that does.

“With the ease of sandblasting today, and with the advance of the C02 laser option, there is no excuse. Laser engraving can give a nice clean look like sandblasting, but still will never replace the fine art of sand etching,” says Donlin.

Sales Tips For High End Crystal

Perhaps some shops not selling crystal are intimidated, either by the process of personalization, which is quite manageable by anyone with today’s technology, or the prices they must be purchased and sold at. But do not be worried; there are plenty of companies looking to purchase these classy pieces, and a number of proven methods for selling to them.

Slee advises that if you are going to offer glass or crystal, choose pieces for your showroom. Choose a range that spans from low-cost pieces to a few high-end pieces that are fairly large in size. He explains, “Large pieces look great and make a statement, but it’s the low to medium priced pieces that sell best.”

However, all manufacturers agree that the upper tier of high-end crystal and glass should not be shied away from.

“Do not be afraid to sell high-end pieces. More people will buy than you think if you actually present it properly. Presenting it includes first showing it, second showing it properly. If it’s in a shop, it should be clean, as in spotless, and well lit. That’s important to bring out the beauty of the piece,” says Badash.

You don’t know if a company or person can afford any given piece until you ask them. Resist the urge to start at the lower price points.

However, for those who are still hesitant, Macchia says, “The best way is to simply make the small investment to have these finer awards and gifts on display. Looking at a catalog page does no justice for many higher-end awards. For this reason, we give very deep discounts on showroom samples,” says Macchia.

Wu reiterates that crystal awards are considered high-end products for recognition, therefore giving retailers a higher profit in return. She adds that corporations who have higher budgets for employee recognition and reward programs are likely to provide a shop with repeating orders.

According to Donlin, it’s all about exposure. “The good crystal importer will help stock an awards shop with really good samples and support them to raise the bar within their shop. Crystal is hot and has a much bigger impact to the recipient, so it really boils down to education.”

Proper Presentation Critical

Crystal awards appeal almost exclusively to higher-end customers, says Zhu, and for that reason, it is very important to display creative designs exquisitely engraved for the showroom.

In regard to the means used to display those pieces, Slee suggests an investment in a few nice glass showcases that are specifically made for glass and crystal product display. “Good showcases have excellent internal lighting (which is a must), and they are usually sealed from dust. Glass or crystal must always be clean. Never show glass and crystal products that are covered with fingerprints or dust to a prospective client. First impressions of the products are the ones your clients will remember.”

Badash has walked into his fair share of shops who disregarded that advice, to their own detriment.

“Shops with dust and dirt and lousy lighting can make a beautiful piece of glass look like garbage, and no one’s going to pay a premium price for it. But, if it’s presented properly, it makes a huge difference,” says Badash.

In his opinion, presenting a piece of glass properly also means educating the customer of its qualities. “Explain and educate the customer on what goes into it, how it’s made. To really hand cut glass is truly an art, craftsmanship that needs to be pointed out to clients so they don’t take it for granted. There’s a lot of pressed glass today, machine made, and if something is handmade, I think that’s an important point to make with the customer,” says Badash.

When considering display for your glass pieces, Macchia recommends thinking of a Macy’s window display as a goal for quality. And in addition to glass shelving and bright lighting, he suggests placing the awards and gifts against a wall that is dark in color, as a white wall will make your crystal “vanish.”

“We highly recommend a black metal or black wood casing border, as it really makes the crystal stand out,” says Donlin.

While those materials frame glass shelving well, Wu advises to display the awards made of those materials, wood and metal, as well as acrylic, separate from your glass and crystal. He also notes the retail store’s display and website’s overall image have to show the higher perceived value of the products.

Presenting a good selection to potential customers is also important, though Donlin cautions not to overdo it and create clutter. Allow each piece enough visual space for customers to appreciate its beauty.

Don’t Miss Out

In some ways, crystal and glass pieces are the most quizzical aspect of the industry for personalized awards and gifts. They are known by nearly all to be one of the most profitable, if not the most profitable, products available for personalization.

Yet, in speaking with many shops across the country over a period of years, it’s clear that they are among the least personalized. There are shops offering laser engraving, rotary engraving, sublimation, full-color digital printing, screen printing and embroidery that do not etch or personalize crystal at all. It’s almost unprofessional.

This makes no sense, yet there is an upside, and that upside is the fact that the incredible potential this aspect of the industry offers remains largely untapped by a staggering amount of awards businesses. Don’t let your shop be one of these.