House of Waterford Crystal
Located on the Mall in the heart of the Viking Triangle in Waterford City, the House of Waterford Crystal brings a visit to Waterford to a whole new level. Visitors can witness the creation of crystal stemware, giftware and masterpieces right before their very eyes.
Nothing compares with the atmosphere of the blowing room, the heady mix of heat, noise and bustling activity makes this experience all the more breath-taking as you edge closer to the 1400 c furnace.
In front of your eyes, you will see red-hot molten crystal take shape, in a miracle of light, heat and skill. Our craftsmen are meticulous and you can watch as they transform glowing balls of molten crystal into elegant shapes with skills that have made two hundred years of perfection clearly visible in every piece.
Waterford Crystal is one of the few companies today, which still practises the ancient craft of mould making. Very little has changed in this craft over the centuries.
Wooden moulds and hand tools are used by our Master Blowers to shape the molten crystal. The wooden moulds and hand tools are made from beech and pear wood, which are a smooth wood, which has a high tolerance to heat. Even so, due to the searing heat of the crystal these moulds have a relatively short life span of approximately 7-10 days.
