For the most lavish New Year’s Eve celebration on the planet, plain old light bulbs just won’t do for the Times Square ball.
And so, as in past years, specially designed Waterford crystals have been added to make the sparkling ball even more fabulous as it counts down the final minute of 2003.
Workers put the finishing touches on the ball yesterday, affixing the handmade crystals over strobe lights, reflective pyramid mirrors and colored bulbs – all of which make the ball a feast for the eyes.
Pete Cheyney, director of communications for Waterford Crystal, oversaw the work high above Midtown, perched at One Times Square, where the ball is dropped one minute before midnight on Dec. 31.
“This ball is spectacular, it’s priceless,” Cheyney said as he inspected the handiwork.
The 72 triangle-shaped crystals added yesterday are designed to create a “Hope for Unity” theme.
In the center of each triangle are three flowing waves surrounded by cuts that look like sunbursts – a pattern that represents unity among all the people of the world. The new crystals bring to 504 the number of crystals on the ball. The others, varying in size and shape with themes like “Hope for Healing” and “Hope for Courage,” were added in the previous four years. (p. 3 Metro)