Waterford Crystal Facts for Kids

A beautiful cut glass vase made by Waterford Crystal

Waterford Crystal is a famous company that makes beautiful glass items, often called "crystal." These items are especially known for their "cut glass" designs, which means patterns are cut into the glass. The company is named after the city of Waterford, in Ireland. In 2009, the main factory in Waterford closed for a short time because the company had money problems. But in 2010, Waterford Crystal opened a new factory and visitor center in the city. While some crystal is still made there, most Waterford Crystal products are now made outside Ireland. Since 2015, the brand has been owned by the Fiskars Corporation.

History of Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal Products
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History of Waterford Crystal

An old cut-glass bowl from Waterford, made in the 1700s

Waterford Crystal has a long and interesting history, with times of great success and also challenges.

The First Glass Factory

The story of crystal making in Waterford began in 1783. Two men, George and his nephew William Penrose, started a business called the Waterford Glassworks. They became famous for making very fine "flint glass." Sadly, this first company closed its doors in 1851, and many people lost their jobs.

Trying to Bring Glassmaking Back

For many years, people tried to restart glassmaking in Waterford.

In the early 1900s, there were ideas to teach glassmaking skills in the city.
Later, a Belgian company thought about opening a factory in Waterford in 1933, but it didn't happen.
In 1938, an Irish jeweler named Bernard J. Fitzpatrick talked to a Czech friend, Karel (Charles) Bacik, about starting a glass factory. Bacik owned four glass factories in his home country. World War II delayed their plans.

A glass blower shaping hot glass at the Waterford factory

A skilled worker cutting patterns into glass at Waterford Crystal

Starting Again in 1947

After World War II ended, Bernard Fitzpatrick visited Charles Bacik again in 1946. Bacik's factories had been taken over, so he agreed to Fitzpatrick's idea to restart glassmaking in Waterford. They found a place for the factory, and construction began in April 1947. Since there weren't many skilled crystal workers in Ireland, they brought in experts from other European countries. One of the first was the designer Miroslav Havel. The first glass blowing happened in September 1947.

By the early 1950s, the company became part of the Irish Glass Bottle company. At its busiest, Waterford Crystal employed 3,000 people in Waterford city.

Modern Designs and Changes

In 1999, famous designer Jasper Conran started creating crystal designs for Waterford. Later, in 2001, Irish fashion designer John Rocha also began designing crystal items like vases and glasses.

To save money, Waterford Wedgwood closed its second Irish factory in 2005. All operations moved to the main factory in Waterford City. This meant nearly 500 workers lost their jobs. Some of the production also started happening in other countries like the Czech Republic and Poland.

Challenges and New Ownership

In 2009, during a tough economic time, Waterford Wedgwood faced serious financial problems. On January 5, 2009, it was announced that the company was in "receivership," which means a special manager was brought in to handle its money.

On January 30, 2009, the Waterford Crystal factory in Kilbarry was closed. Many workers held a "sit-in" protest, hoping to keep their jobs. This protest even made the news. In March 2009, an American company called KPS Capital bought many of Waterford Wedgwood's brands, including Waterford Crystal. The old factory and visitor center closed, but a new visitor and manufacturing facility opened in June 2010.

In 2015, the Fiskars Corporation, a company from Finland that makes home products, bought Waterford Crystal and other brands like Wedgwood.

Waterford Crystal Products

A stunning Waterford crystal chandelier

Today, most Waterford crystal is made outside Ireland, in countries like Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Germany. Waterford makes many different designs of crystal glasses and other items. Some popular designs include Lismore and Colleen.

Waterford Crystal has made items for many famous places and events:

In 1966, Waterford chandeliers were put in Westminster Abbey in London.
Chandeliers also hang in places like Windsor Castle and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Waterford Crystal makes the 2,688 crystals for the famous New Year's Eve Ball that drops every year in New York City's Times Square. This huge ball weighs about 11,875 pounds and is 12 feet wide!

One special product is the "Apprentice Bowl." It needs 600 precise cuts, all done by hand. Young workers in their final year of training try to complete this bowl. They only get three tries to pass the test and earn the Waterford Crystal watermark.

Waterford also creates many sports trophies:

They make the crystal shield trophies for the winners of nine major men's professional tennis tournaments.
They craft the AFCA National Championship Trophy for the top US college football team.
They even make a copy of the Ashes urn, which is given to the winners of the Test cricket series between England and Australia.
Other trophies include those for the Masters snooker championship and the French, Belgian, and German Grand Prix in Formula One.
They made a special bat and ball trophy for baseball player Derek Jeter and a glass tennis racket for Boris Becker.
Waterford Crystal also designs the trophies for the People's Choice Awards.

Images for kids

The Waterford Crystal Ball, designed for the New Year's celebrations at Times Square
The Waterford Crystal Volvo Ocean Challenge Trophy
The previous Waterford Crystal showroom in Kilbarry, Waterford