When it comes to artisan glass lighting fixtures, there’s high-quality hand blown glass — and everything else. So… can you spot the difference?

It’s an important question, especially if you’re in the market for new artisan glass lighting fixtures. Most glass pieces in fact, are mass-produced to minimize cost and use less-than-optimal material quality. While they may pass a quick style check, cheap imitators don’t have the same clarity, brilliance and character, and they’re less likely to stand the test of time.

But again, at first glance it may be tough to differentiate superior quality glass lighting from low-grade alternatives. As you’re browsing your lighting options, be sure to do your due diligence.  Ask the right questions and spend time exploring each piece. You’ll quickly start to spot the difference between high-quality artisan glass and the rest.

Remember that materials matter

Glass is made from sand, soda ash, limestone and other components, all melted together. This base mixture determines the  ultimate look and quality of the final glass piece. For instance, Soda-lime glass is a common mixture that carries a greenish tint and a noticeable cloudy quality when placed side by side with crystal glass. 

When we talk about less-than-optimal material, we’re talking about cheaper glass material that mass producers tend to use in order to cut costs. Many even opt for plastic alternatives. These options have a much shorter shelf life than artisan glass. Go this route and expect to be replacing your light fixtures frequently — and don’t expect the same brilliance that comes naturally with high quality glass.

Viro uses the highest quality crystal glass on the market with the best brilliance & clarity. Combine that with the fact that each piece is fabricated by master glass artisans in-house and the result is unlike any light you can find on the market today.

Check out the quality of the glass piece

It’s not just the material that matters. It’s also important to look at the characteristics of the glass fixture. For example, hand blown glass has thicker, sturdier walls and a more elegant surface appearance than mass-produced pieces. Those characteristics are synonymous with quality — exactly what you want in a glass light fixture.

To save cost, manufacturers often cut corners by producing thinner glassware products that, at first glance, seem to have that same clarity. But take a closer look and you can easily see the difference.

Learn the design benefits of artisan glass

Beyond delivering a better quality of light, artisan glass is infinitely customizable. Because hand blowing glass is so labor intensive, most lighting manufacturers opt for finding and sourcing affordable pre-made components, and then design  fixtures based on budget. By producing glass in-house, we gain tremendous room for innovation and control over the entire design and fabrication process from start to finish. And that means more beautiful, versatile, and intriguing one-of-a-kind pieces for your space.

Viro: An artisan glass lighting solution for any space

We’re proud to be one of the few lighting companies that designs every piece of our smart LED collection in-house. 

And our materials? We’re committed to using high-grade, lead-free crystal glass from Sweden, fulfilling the crystal glass classification according to EU Council Directive 69/493/EEC. To us, it’s the ultimate foundation for distinctive, durable artisan lighting fixtures — and we wouldn’t have it any other way.