Why do wine glasses have stems? Discover all the reasons!
Wine glasses have stems for three main reasons: to avoid warming the wine, to facilitate swirling, and to avoid fingerprinting or smudging the bowl.
Waterford crystal
How to repair a chip in a wine glass – all you need to know!
Crystal wine glasses from companies like Waterford and Baccarat retail for up to $100 per stem and their delicate rims often get chipped by careless handling. Considering the price and sentimental attachment – is it worthwhile to fix a chip in a wine glass? Expensive crystal brands like Waterford are worth repairing. A small chip in a wine glass can be fixed at home but complete repair needs professional equipment. Types of damage suffered by crystal and glassware Glass is brittle and fragile and so it is very easily chipped, cracked, and broken. The main categories of damage to wine … Read more
Is lead crystal dangerous? Get the facts from a scientist!
The finest quality crystal from Waterford, Bacarrat, Lalique, Orrefors, and other prestigious companies has always been made with 24% or more lead oxide (PbO). Research in the 1990s found that lead can leach from crystal decanters and contaminate your whiskey, sherry, or wine. So, is lead crystal dangerous? And if so, what should you do about it? Update for 2023: now that the danger of lead poisoning is well understood, all modern crystal and glassware is manufactured without lead. Even the Swarovski company stopped using lead in their decorative figurines (in 2012). So lead is only a potential threat to … Read more