Awards and trophies are great ways to honor someone, especially in a competitive environment. Most awards are made of metal, but you can find awards made from other materials, specifically crystal and glass.
These two materials make clear, translucent, and customizable awards great for award ceremonies. They are also very cost-effective, particularly for those who want budget awards. Crystal and glass awards have significant differences, which include:
Composition
Both crystal and glass are made from silicon oxide (sand) as their base material. However, their formation processes are pretty different. Glass is formed mainly by heating small sand particles at high temperatures.
Crystals are infused with lead during their construction process, where the composition changes. Many people confuse crystal with acrylic, but the latter is a synthetic popular which is more plastic than glass.
Some awards are made from optical crystal, a lead-free alternative. Optical crystal still has lead crystal’s properties but also has the visual purity and sparkling effect of traditional crystal. Due to the glass blowing formation process, which depends on the blower, glass awards tend to be more unique than crystal awards.
Customization
Because we are talking about awards, customization is a characteristic we have to discuss. The capacity for customization is a quality that sets glass and crystal apart. When making awards, the maker will use a thermal heat process to shape both materials.
It is the process that allows for the making of crystal and glass awards with a customized engraving. However, crystal is the more workable of the two materials. It is easier to manipulate during the heating process, resulting in more customization ability and finer awards than glass.
On the other hand, if you want to fuse it with other materials like acrylic, glass is the better option due to its composition. A skilled and knowledgeable professional can mold both glass and crystal into fine multi-material awards.
Aesthetics
Both glass and crystal have or appear to have clear, colorless, and transparent surfaces. However, they have distinct aesthetic differences. Optical crystal is the more clear of the two materials.
Though glass has a natural shine, it does not refract light to better its aesthetics quite the same way as crystal; hence the former has a duller sheen. A difference that is distinct when comparing glass and crystal awards.
Crystal is also more vibrant than glass because it allows light to more easily pass through it and distributes it farther than glass. Air bubbles in glass can also diminish its aesthetic appeal.
Glass also has natural color hues though not easy to see with the naked eye, that you can remove and affects its purity. Crystal is a completely clear organic substrate containing no naturally occurring hues, but you can add color to crystal awards.
The detail you can get in a crystal award will be much more intricate than in a glass award. The edges can be more refined and the curves more ingrained into the award. The same goes for the precision of the font you choose. You should select laser engraving services for the best result.
Weight
Crystal awards are much heavier than glass awards. The reason for the weight is the crystal’s molecular composition which is denser than that of glass and hence forms a more compact substrate material than glass.
The result is that crystal awards are much more difficult to scratch or dent, which is fantastic when considering an award’s longevity. Therefore, a crystal award can withstand more mishandling than glass and has a higher chance of lasting longer than a glass award. You will probably need glass repair services for a glass award.
Price
When buying awards, you have to consider the cost, especially if you will be purchasing many awards for an awards ceremony, for example, a corporate or sports event with many categories.
Crystal is the more pricey material of the two mainly because of its luminescence, durability, and light-refracting capacity.
The amalgamation of its long-term functions and capacity for customization make crystal awards deserve the price you will pay for them. Cutting and carving an award is a risky and laborious process that will also add to its cost. However, if you present a prestigious award to a winner to show genuine appreciation, you should buy the best quality award.
When comparing glass and crystal for materials for awards, crystal is the overwhelming winner. Crystal offers the best bang for your buck when compared in categories like price, composition, weight, customization, and aesthetics. Crystal allows you to show your genuine appreciation to the recipient.
