Narrator: You can recognize a piece of Waterford crystal
by how it looks —
sharp cuts, detailed patterns —
or maybe even by how it sounds.
[crystal ringing]
The queen actually said,
"I do love these clinking glasses."
Narrator: A single wine glass costs around $150.
And limited-edition items, like this globe,
sell for as much as $30,000.
Waterford even created the crystal chandeliers
that hang in Westminster Abbey
and the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball.
But it's the craftsmanship
that makes Waterford crystals so desirable.
Artisans must memorize hundreds of patterns,
work with extreme heat, and maintain a steady hand
to make sure that only the highest-quality pieces
make it to the shelves.
So, why is Waterford crystal
a cut above other types of glassware?
And why is it so expensive?
Edgar Evans has worked as a master blower
with Waterford Crystal for 39 years.
Started when I was 15. Left school on a Friday
and enter Waterford Crystal on a Monday.
Narrator: He is one of about 17 master craftspeople
who work at the company's headquarters
in Waterford, Ireland,
many of whom are following in their parents' footsteps.
Edgar: I had brothers, uncles, dad was in here.
So you kind of always want to follow your family job.
Narrator: But becoming a master craftsperson
is no easy feat.
Candidates must first graduate
from Waterford's eight-year-long apprenticeship program,
learning from and working directly with
certified artisans at the facilities.
A single handmade piece of Waterford crystal
will pass through the hands of about 10 master craftspeople,
like Edgar, before it can be shipped and sold.
Edgar: It's handmade, start to finish.
So it's your own breath, your own hands,
all the way through.
Narrator: Even the initial design is analog.
Every piece begins its life as a hand-drawn sketch.
I still go back to the old pencil and paper at the start.
You have to, because that's how to get your ideas down fast.
Narrator: Matt Kehoe, a senior designer,
has worked at Waterford for 30 years.
Matt: I chose Waterford because I'm a Waterford man.
Born and bred.
Always proud of being from Waterford
and the fact that we had a luxury brand on our doorstep.
Narrator: Waterford has released hundreds of designs
since it was established in 1783.
The most iconic is the Lismore pattern,
which debuted in 1952.
But the most popular design today, according to Matt,
is this one: Irish lace,
a modern design inspired by traditional Irish needlework.
Matt: It took probably a year and a half to develop,
because the shape — we knew the pattern,
but we didn't know the shape at the time.
Narrator: A pair of red-wine glasses in Irish lace
costs $380.
A bowl with the design goes for $675.
Matt works closely with the rest of the team
throughout the production process
to ensure the designs fit his vision.
Matt: I use various 3D-modeling packages
to bring it to life. It helps me see,
even though from experience
I know what it's going to look like.
But it helps me let other people see
what it's going to look like before we make a prototype.
They have to be able to get into your head,
and I have to be able to get into their head
and how they can perform.
Different blowers, different cutters
will produce different things in different ways.
So, for example, if I was to design a bespoke piece,
I would probably go to a particular cutter.
Narrator: Once he has finalized a design and shape,
his first stop is the mold room.
Matt: I start a mold, and I give the mold maker a template
of, say, this, for example, is the Irish Lace.
So he'll take that, and he'll make the mold
and get it ready for the blower.
Narrator: There are two types of molds, wooden and steel.
The wooden molds can only be used 10 to 15 times,
because the extreme heat from the molten crystal
breaks them down.
Once the mold is ready, the next stop is the blower,
who breathes life into Matt's designs.
Matt: It's a pulled stem, and it's usually done
by a machine, but here in Waterford, it's made by hand.
And it's a team of four people.
Narrator: One of those four people is Edgar.
He's typically accompanied by a master stemmer
and two apprentices, who assist with tasks
like creating the ball of glass
the master blower will use for the piece.
Edgar: There's no individuals in here.
It's teamwork all the way through.
But we often even socialize together.
Kill each other, make up again.
Narrator: Crystal contains a small percentage of minerals,
often lead, to make it more durable than glass.
Waterford recently transitioned from lead-based crystal
to a new recyclable lead-free formula
containing barium oxide, which the company says
is twice as durable and more heat resistant.
It says both formulas are regularly tested
and are safe for use.
Before they can begin blowing the mixture,
artisans heat it to around 1,100 degrees in a kiln.
Edgar: And by the time I get it to the mold,
it's probably 400 or 500 degrees.
Narrator: Edgar says staying safe
when working with such high temperatures
comes down to years of experience and careful teamwork.
Edgar estimates he blows 300 to 350 pieces
of stemware a day.
When working on large pieces, like vases,
he blows around 50 to 60.
After blowing,
the pieces are put through a special kneeling process
that gradually cools the glass over 24 hours.
Cooling the glass slowly
is essential to prevent it from breaking.
The rims are then polished,
and any extra bits are cut off, smashed,
and melted back into the raw mixture.
Matt: After the blowing side of things,
we'll bring it down to the cutting shop
and we'll get the pattern marked up on the glass.
I generally, when it's a prototype,
I'll mark up the glass, mark the pattern,
and give it to the cutter and talk to the cutter
and discuss exactly what I would like.
Narrator: Though these marks serve as a basic guide,
each cutter is expected to memorize over 100 designs.
And the designs are far from simple.
David: Some of the pieces could have up to 96 cuts on them.
Narrator: David Boyce is a master cutter
who has worked for Waterford for 37 years.
He was initially part of a group of seven apprentices
accepted into the program in 1986.
We were called, throughout the whole factory,
the magnificent seven.
Narrator: Like Edgar,
David's father also worked at Waterford.
I was very interested in the crystal,
so one day he brought me in to tour the factory,
and while I was in on the tour of the factory,
I said, "Dad, this is what I want to be," I says.
Narrator: Cutting requires careful focus
and a steady hand.
Artisans must apply just enough pressure to make the cut
without shattering the piece.
David: We'd be nervous cutting the pieces.
But after you're doing hundreds of these pieces
down through the years, you're so used to them now
that you can nearly cut them with your eyes closed.
Narrator: They use diamond-tipped wheels
for speed and precision.
The wheel is kept wet at all times
with a constant flow of water.
David: Reason why the water's on the wheel
is to keep the wheel from heating up
not to burn into the glass.
And if the wheel gets too hot,
if you don't have enough water on the wheel,
the glass can actually shatter on the wheel.
Narrator: In a single day, the cutters can go through
as many as 120 pieces of stemware.
Emily: It's important to say
that all of those processes that we do,
from the hand-carving of the mold making,
to the mouth blowing, to the marking,
and then to the hand-cutting, using diamond-tipped wheels,
are ancient craft techniques
that have been used for centuries.
So, while we evolve in terms of
some materials that we may use,
we're still leaning back into the ancient craft
of crystal making.
Narrator: For prototypes,
Matt makes sure they match his vision
and are up to his standard.
I review each piece when it's cut
to see if it's what I want.
And if it's not, we literally go back to the drawing board.
Narrator: In addition to cutters who work on the tableware,
Waterford employs sculptors and engravers
who can create custom art pieces,
like this ocean sculpture,
which costs about $33,000.
The finished product is sold in Waterford's in-house store
or shipped all over the world.
Waterford says the biggest buyer of its crystal
is the United States.
And one of the most prominent pieces
Waterford has made there
is the Times Square Ball in New York City.
It's about 12 feet in diameter
and consists of 2,688
Waterford crystal triangles.
Waterford also makes custom pieces
for high-profile institutions,
such as the British royal family.
So, we had no less than Prince Charles,
now King Charles, of England
and Camilla come to visit us here at Waterford.
So it was an exciting visit to welcome royalty.
And, again, they're very familiar with the Waterford brand.
Narrator: But it's not just royalty
who are fans of the crystal.
Many of the craftspeople themselves
are also avid collectors.
David: I have many, many pieces
going back down through the years in Waterford.
I constantly use them at home, as well.
Matt: I think everything in my house that I drink out
is Waterford. I don't drink out of anything else.
Narrator: And Matt says he can't imagine
going anywhere else anytime soon, either.
Can't see myself ever working for any other company.
I think designing for Waterford is something special.
I nearly cried with that one.
I'm getting emotional as well, I was there, that one.
I'm like, "Jesus, now," crying, blubbering.