After Almost 500 Years, the Glass is Still Half Full
By Staff Writer

In 1521, in the small town of Spiegelau, Germany, tucked in the primeval forest of Bavaria, a band of artisans began to make glass. Fueled by the plentiful wood in the Black Forest, the tiny factory has burned bright for almost 500 years, growing and changing with the centuries. Five centuries later, Spiegelau is now one of the most popular and successful stemware manufacturers favored by professionals and wine enthusiasts.

Situated on the edge of the Bavarian Forest, now Europe's largest protected wood, the town lies close to the Czech Republic border and is one of many towns in this region that specialize in glassware, forming the famed "Crystal Road." In 1521, the first recorded mention of the Spiegelau factory appeared in the last will and testament of Erasmus Mosburger, a city official of Grafenau, Germany. The mention was notable because it remarked upon the performance of new glass companies springing up at the time and cited Spiegelau as an important example.

Mosburger's words were prophetic: Today, the Spiegelau glassworks is a high-tech factory where 80% of production is performed by machine. Spiegelau products are renowned not only for their sleek design, but for their strength, durability and impressive scratch-resistance. In fact, an independent laboratory declared Spiegelau stemware to be extremely dishwasher safe after undergoing 1500 dishwasher cycles, finding no scratching, markings, loss of brilliance, foggy shadows, change in color or brilliance or build up of water chemicals and residue. These attributes make Spiegelau a wise purchase for the well-informed consumer who demands both style and substance.

Spiegelau owes its remarkable durability to its Platinum Glass. As the glass goes from the powder to the liquid stage, the molten glass is passed through a platinum tube to eliminate any impurities and remove all imperfections and inconsistencies. The platinum tube technology is often utilized in precision optics - the making of sensitive lenses in which any imperfections are unacceptable - and in the case of Spiegelau is used to great effect in creating stable glassware that lasts.

Sold in 87 countries, Spiegelau is a top brand across the world, leading the market in such countries as the US, Japan, France and even Germany. This success is due in large part to the wide variety of the glass collections Spiegelau produces, including Vino Grande, Authentis, and Vino Vino. Recently, Spiegelau introduced the Venus line, a glass with a sensual, gently-curved stem that allows it to fit perfectly in the hand. In 2006, Spiegelau created its first tabletop line, Light & Strong, a collection of glass plates, bowls and serving pieces that have the twin virtues of being both strong and beautiful. Always, Spiegelau's patented combination of excellent design, superior quality and remarkable durability make it a top choice in premier restaurants around the world.

In 1990, Spiegelau was purchased by F.X. Nachtmann Group, which in turn was purchased by Riedel Crystal in 2004. Two years later, Spiegelau U.S.A., the North American headquarters, was launched in response to the great demand generated by the Riedel Group.

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