Preciosa

The history of chandelier production at Preciosa dates back to 1724. The chandeliers from the Kamenický Šenov region in Northern Bohemia quickly found their way to royal palaces throughout Europe.

Almost 300 years of this time-honored tradition have proved that the Preciosa - Lustry company, based in the city of Kamenický Šenov, currently ranks among the world’s largest and most respected producers of both classical and modern decorative lighting fixtures.

Apart from the standard production of home fixtures, the company continues, to a larger extent, to carry out special lighting projects in cooperation with the foremost design and architectural studios throughout the world.
Combining the traditional production of classical decorative chandeliers and the contemporary projects based on modern technologies enables Preciosa to comply with its customers’ most demanding requirements.
 

The Art of Light – The Story of Preciosa

Almost three centuries of chandelier-making tradition in Bohemia – our inspiration

The first glassworks
	As early as the 9th century, the first glassworks were founded in the territory of Bohemia. More than 500 years ago, Bohemian glassmaking made further advance in the former Kingdom of Bohemia, where skilled craftsmen began to discover ways of shaping glass into pleasing forms. By the beginning of the 17th century, Bohemian glassmakers were manufacturing glass mass closely resembling natural crystal. That is why it was later named ‘Bohemian crystal’ and became highly prized for its limpidity.
The first chandeliers
	In 1724, the first chandelier workshop was founded in the village of Prácheň just outside the North Bohemian town of Kamenický Šenov. Other workshops soon followed in the area. For their exquisite form and the purity of their mouth blown and hand cut crystal, the chandeliers from Kamenický Šenov soon became eagerly sought after by the aristocracy of that time.
The first deliveries to Europe
	It was in the chandelier that crystal found its natural expression, and by the middle of the 18th century Bohemian crystal chandeliers were taking Europe by storm. As symbols of love of art, good taste, wealth and nobility, they became as prestigious as precious jewels. Not surprisingly, chandelier workshops in Kamenický Šenov and its environs were manufacturing chandeliers for palaces, churches and other luxurious buildings worldwide.
Mastery and traditions
	Today, lighting fixtures from Preciosa harmoniously combine centuries-old glassmaking traditions with modern techniques and technologies. Innumerable types and a variety of shapes result from perfect handwork and craftsmanship of Preciosa’s glassmakers. Each touch of our masters’ deft hands strikes one of the tones forming a rainbow chord that resounds people’s homes each evening all over the world..
The present
	These days, our factory in Kamenický Šenov has hundreds of employees. More than twenty hand techniques take equal shares in the manufacture of chandeliers – cutting, lustring, painting, sand blasting, prism holes drilling, cast parts shaping, soldering, chasing, annealing, acid pickling, polishing, patina coating, assembling and other techniques.
Perfect products
	In the production of lighting fixtures, we use high-quality materials, such as brass, bronze and precious metals including 24-carat gold. Lighting fixtures from Preciosa are dressed with both Preciosa high-quality machine-cut chandelier trimmings and trimmings of the historical type from Bohemian Crystal collection.
Residential lighting fixtures
	Continuing almost 300 years of glassmaking traditions, Preciosa ranks today among the biggest and highly respected producers of both classical and contemporary decorative lighting fixtures worldwide. High-quality crystal, brass, hand shaped castings and elegant, artistic design are the main features of the company’s current production..
Lighting projects
	‘Customized and turnkey’ lighting fixtures and objects are designed for theaters, concert halls, hotels, private residences and other special interiors. All these fixtures are works of art created with the assistance and under the supervision of designers, architects and investors.