Waterford Crystal Factory-Factory Tour Experience

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Overview: Take this tour offers first hand access to all areas of traditional crystal production. The first area on the factory tour is mould making. Next is the Blowing department. See red-hot molten crystal take shape, in a miracle of light, heat and skill. The craftsmen are meticulous as they transform glowing balls of molten crystal into elegant shapes with skills that have made 200 years of perfection clearly visible in every piece, inspected after each stage of production. Only pieces that are within Waterford Crystal's quality standards are allowed through to the next process, the hand marking area. Here the crystal is marked with a temporary geometric grid to assist the Master Cutter to cut the pattern onto the crystal. Each pattern will have been learned and memorized by the cutter during his training years. Next is the Cutting area where you will see two types of cutting, Wedge Cutting and Flat Cutting. Finally you will come to the Sculpting and Engraving department where it can take days or weeks for a piece to be finished.