I am regularly asked which is our best selling Waterford Crystal wine glasses. Not an easy question to answer as the style and variety they now have covers most bases if not budgets!
I guess I have to start with the traditional iconic designs of Lismore and Colleen wine glasses. Both have been around for over 60 years so there is longevity there. Each has it’s own distinctive look with the Lismore wine glasses a clean traditional cut on a tall faceted stem with what we call a bucket shape bowl, not many crystal companies make this shape any more.
The Colleen wine glass is a more rich diamond cut with thumb cuts creating a luxurious looking glass, reflected in the price I might add!
In more recent years taller stems and more contemporary cuttings have been the trend. The Siren glass is a favourite and the collaboration with John Rocha who designed Signature, so named as the cut is his signature! and Geo which has a clean geometric cut just below the rim.
When Waterford bought the ailing Stuart Crystal factory who were already working with Jasper Conran, his Aura wine glasses came under their spell creating a comprehensive range of designer wine glasses.
Both the designer ranges are very popular with the bridal market appearing on many Wedding gift lists.
Since the Waterford factory closed in 2009 the crystal has been outsourced to Waterford’s exacting manufacturing standards using the skills of European glass factories.
My view is the contemporary designer product is every bit as good as the Irish originals and there is little discernible difference in the later day traditional product as manufacturing processes were beginning to change in Ireland anyway.
So there we have it 2 Traditional cut glasses and 3 contemporary ones which are very popular and selling well today.
Waterford is still the leading quality cut crystal brand name, not inexpensive but you do get a good glass for your money.