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Building upon 470 Year-old Glassmaking Traditions

Preciosa® continues, without interruption, the glassmaking tradition that started in Crystal Valley when the first kiln was fired up in 1548 – and build on it with the latest techniques and most modern processes. Preciosa® gave the world Bohemian Crystal and today their R&D laboratories are constantly developing innovative new products. Every year they push beyond the limits of what is possible with glass and crystal.

The First Glassworks Burns in Crystal Valley

In 1548 in Mšeno, a small town nestled in the majestic Crystal Valley, the Wander family settles and founds the first glassworks in the region. Their kilns and workshops are soon to become the leading glassworks in the Kingdom of Bohemia. Soon afterwards, Jablonec, a nearby settlement that has been ravaged by war and become a ghost town for decades, comes alive once again. Settlers from the Jizera Mountains begin to pursue a new craft – glassmaking – and begin to pass it down from father to son, from generation to generation.

The skills of the Bohemian craftsmen come into their own with the magnificence and splendor of the first ornamental goblet and decorative glass which are soon to amaze all of Europe. When the first glass engraver establishes himself in Crystal Valley in 1610, the foundation of the tradition of Czech glassmaking is laid. To this day they continue to stand firmly and proudly build on this very foundation.

Crystal Valley Gives the World the First Crystal

Pristinely clear glass (crystal) changes the art of glassmaking all over the world and makes the Bohemian Kingdom a glass superpower. It sparkles in its new role for the first time in Vimpersk in 1688, thanks to glass master Michael Müller.

His perfectly clear glass is practically indistinguishable from natural mountain crystal found in the nearby forests and hills. The glass’ hardness also means that it can now be cut and polished, giving it a uniquely luxurious brightness, brilliance and fire. Soon glassmakers in other countries begin to emulate the Bohemian artisans. From this period forward, Bohemian Crystal becomes one of this land’s primary traditional products.

Preciosa® Research Facilities

Preciosa® continues to develop its products thanks to better techniques and technologies. In 1956 the Research Institute of Glass and Jewelry is founded in Jablonec nad Nisou. Today this research and development facility is an integral part of Preciosa®.

Preciosa® also now possesses its own developmental laboratory - a uniquely creative center for applied research and the testing of new technological processes. It is thanks to this that the boundaries of using Czech glass in modern luminaries continue to be pushed beyond their limits.

Lead-Free Preciosa® MAXIMA Crystal Conquers the World

Even products steeped in rich tradition like Bohemian Crystal, produced in Preciosa® glass factories, are not immune to changes and innovation. Its legendary brilliance is due mainly to precisely cut facets. This is why they created a brand new type of crystal in 2013 – lead-free crystal. This unique material, with its extraordinary sparkle, meets the highest international standards of quality and environmental certification.

They named it Preciosa® MAXIMA. Showcased in the MC Chaton, its incredible brilliance is created by light passing through 15 pristinely cut facets, and its optical-aesthetic properties are second to none in the magically glittering world of glass.