Glass Works

Seemingly minuscule factors such as the edge thickness of a cylindrical diffuser can define its aesthetic tradition, whether that may be chunky and more modish or dainty and almost rococo in fashion. Glass can be perfectly clear for direct lamping, semi-opaque for a warm glowing light, or seeded to produce a dimpled lighting effect.

Gordon Bullard & Co works with the best glass manufacturers all over the world to provide the marketplace with a high-quality glass and crystal light fixtures in a wide selection of design choices and color finishes. Our collections represent products made of Murano glass, Mouth-Blown Bohemian Crystal, Spectra Crystals and Swarovski Crystals.

MURANO GLASS

Murano glass is glass in a chemical sense of the word. However, Murano glass is as different from, say, the glass in your window panes, as Rembrandt paintings are different from an empty canvas. Murano glass is created only on the island of Murano, located within the borders of the city of Venice in Northern Italy. This glass is made from silica, soda, lime and potassium melted together in a special furnace at a temperature of 1500°C to reach a liquid state. Gold or silver foil are often added to the glass mixture, along with such minerals as copper for sparkles, zinc for white color, cobalt for blue, manganese for violet, and so on. The mixture is then mouth-blown and/or hand-crafted by master glassmakers using special techniques and basic tools, many of which have been developed in the Middle Ages and changed little since then. This method of glass-making results in unique creations with rich coloring and beautiful, sometimes surreal, patterns and shapes, deserving to be called “works of art”. Even though beautiful glassware has also been created in other places around the world, none of the glassware still being produced has such rich history and so much artistic value as Murano glass.

MOUTH-BLOWN BOHEMIAN CRYSTAL

Produced in the region of Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) already since the 16th century, the Bohemian crystal is internationally recognized for its highest quality, beauty and craftsmanship.
Bohemian crystal is known for its brilliance. This brilliance is achieved precisely by the high amount of lead. Lead causes high refractive index in the glass which in turn increases the ability of the glass to separate light into all its colors.
The more cuts created in the glass, the more sparkling effect and light reflected through the object.

SPECTRA CRYSTALS

SPECTRA® CRYSTAL stands for reliable quality and machine cut crystal by Swarovski. As the basic line for the lighting sector it offers the most important cuts in clear crystal, undergoes stringent quality control and is responsibly produced.

In offering the best crystal for uniformity of sparkle, light reflection and spectral colors it is only surpassed by the premium crystal line of Swarovski.

SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS

Swarovski is synonymous with the highest quality glass crystals today. While Swarovski won’t reveal its secretive manufacturing process, we know that Swarovski crystals are made of quartz sand and natural minerals. The actual product is a form of man-made glass, with a 32% concentration of lead,the presence of lead is what gives Swarovski crystals the extra sparkle and brilliance.
The Swarovski’s patented cutting machine then allows for a technology-driven cut that creates a high refractive index in the crystals. The machine is so powerful and precise that it can create as many as 100 facets to mirror and bend light in various directions.

After a complex cutting process, a Swarovski crystal is then polished to perfection. Some of the Swarovski products have special coatings. The AB crystals, for example, have a metallic coating that refracts light in a rainbow spectrum.

The combination of a secret chemical formula and the highest degree of precision cut produces the world-renowned Swarovski crystals. The Swarovski crystals are more expensive than regular glass because of its fine materials and a complicated manufacturing process.