Friday, February 8, 2008
The weekend is coming, which means I get to spend time at home during daylight hours. Just think how much of our time at home is spent at night and after dark.

And think how much gloomier the darkness was in other centuries, before the advent of electricity. This is what inspired the crystal chandelier, of course. Cut crystal helped magnify the weak light of candles by means of its refractive properties.

Those who need cheering up in the dark should seriously consider a crystal chandelier, the more crystal it displays the better.

Schonbek loves to experiment with the form of the crystal chandelier, and if you want to go all out, and fill your night with radiance, you have many possible designs to consider.

La Scala is a great dispeller of gloom. It’s heavily trimmed with crystal  in a variety of classic shapes and sizes. The interplay of light gets very lively amidst so many sharply faceted crystal jewels. And there are large clear crystal drops as well, which have their own way of catching and toying with light.

Another wonderful idea for lovers of brilliance is the all-crystal chandelier. With this style you not only have a glorious display of dazzling crystal ornaments, but also the arms, scrolls and central column pieces are entirely crystal. So there’s no place for light to hide. Light is dancing off every part of your chandelier.

Perhaps the most spectacular all-crystal chandelier by Schonbek is Olde World. The crystal ornaments are Strass® by Swarovski®, finest crystal in the world. Razor sharp faceting results in the most enthralling prismatic effects you’ll ever see. The old world flavor of Olde World is authentic. This crystal chandelier was designed by the late Arnold Schonbek, who brought the Schonbek company from Europe to the new world.

Another way to go is Hamilton with rock crystal and clear crystal. Although rock crystal gleams and glows rather than sparkling and glittering, combine it with lots of highly prismatic clear crystal and you get a delightful display of luminosity.

Even during the day, without being lit, a chandelier richly laden with classic cut crystal will sparkle subtly just from natural ambient light.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

When I first met my husband, I didn’t know what to think of him. Was he handsome? Was he smart? He was an original, and my normal approach to assessing people wasn’t useful. Now of course I realize how wonderful he is.

The same thing can happen with a crystal chandelier.

When I first saw Genesis, I didn’t know if I liked it or not. It didn’t look like any other crystal chandelier I'd ever seen. The frame suggests a leafy tree covered with tiny multi-colored fruits, and the surface of the framework is quite roughly distressed. Candles sit on solid rock crystal bobeches, not the usual thing. The rock crystal sphere at the finial point rivets  your attention, inviting contemplation, and you may not be ready for that.

Even though the design was a little over my head, I was able to write about it with poetic fervor. I was like a student who doesn’t quite get Rembrandt but needs to write a paper about him. And I also knew that by writing about this crystal chandelier I might come to love and understand it.

Which is what transpired.

I’ve now gone beyond poetry in my admiration of Genesis. The mini Genesis crystal chandelier is my favorite, because I’m amazed at how much personality a tiny chandelier can exhibit. On the other hand, I’ve just noticed that larger sizes of this chandelier have some extra embellishments that are quite lovely: a chunky colored crystal jewel embedded in the center stem, and dramatic crystal spikes inside the orbit of the candles.

Genesis comes with a delightful canopy dripping with colored crystal cabochons, the same crystal jewels that ornament the chandelier.

I also love the antiqued candles with faux wax drippings.

You won’t be able to see the details of Genesis on the Internet. A close personal viewing of this crystal chandelier is essential! Call Schonbek to ask about a showroom near you: 800-836-1892.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Our office closed early on Friday because of icy roads and sidewalks. More icy weather is predicted.

All of which inspired me to reflect on the nature and power of ice.

In ancient times some people thought rock crystal was ice that had somehow permanently solidified. They were in awe of it.

The whole idea of a solid thing that you could see through amazed and mystified ancient civilizations. Nowadays, of course, we have glass windows and nobody gets excited about that. Many marvels are eventually taken for granted.

The difference between a window and a fine piece of cut crystal has to do with technique and artistry. A little like the difference between sidewalk art and Michelangelo.

Rock crystal inspired manmade crystal, and is quite a different thing. This ancient quartz originated with the formation of our planet. Its internal markings are unique in the universe, caused by unimaginable cataclysmic events. Rock crystal is fascinating by its very nature. But manmade crystal has its own charms, having to do with how it interacts with light.

Cut crystal fairly quickly superceded rock crystal as the ornament of choice for crystal chandeliers. When cut into multiple facets and meticulously polished, it reflected and refracted light with dazzling results.

The Swarovski company, established in the nineteenth century, went all out to intensify the brilliance of crystal. No one has ever equaled their achievement. Swarovski family members were scientists of crystal with a unique understanding of how to realize the wildest possible prismatic effects from their precision cutting and polishing.

Finely cut crystal produces an amazing quality of luminosity, like spring water catching the reflections of a sunset.

Just as Swarovski made a study of crystal spanning centuries, Schonbek in a parallel period made a study of the crystal chandelier. Creating a light source that makes the most of fine crystal is both an artistic and an engineering challenge. The tiniest adjustments in the position of the crystal can make a tremendous difference.

You may sometimes see crystal chandeliers that are unevenly lit, with hot spots and dark spots here and there. This never happens with a Schonbek crystal chandelier. Every piece of crystal is where it is for a reason. Illumination is even throughout the design.

Schonbek’s fascination with perfection is especially obvious with Empire styling, where you have a dense fabric of crystal. Lovely examples are La Scala in a classic Empire configuration, and a contemporary take on Empire, Trilliane.