PRTestDurability

Press Release June 2008

Testing Durability
" Schott Zwiesel stemware is used in my restaurants because I demand the best. Its exceptional beauty and durability are unmatched."

Robert Wiedmeier. Owner, Brasserie Beck, Washington DC

When tritan® crystal was launched in 2002 it set the industry benchmarks for durability, clarity and brilliance. Since that date we have seen many competitors attempting to match the qualities of tritan® technology crystal glass. This has led to many claims and counter claims but what is the truth behind all this information?

Break Resistance

Currently there are no standard tests for break or chip resistance in crystal glass, recognised by the EU. However, Schott Zwiesel’s Tritan® crystal has been internally tested to the following standards:

DIN 52 295 Impact Pendulum Test

DIN 52 321 Rapid Cooling Test

DIN 52 313 Temperature Change Test

Drop Test

Stem Flexural Strength Test

These tests have indicated Schott Zwiesel’s tritan® crystal generally has a lower overall breakage rate than other crystal glass.

Dishwasher Resistance

However, there is a standard test for dishwasher resistance. This test has been applied by the LGA to both Schott Zwiesel , Spiegelau and Arc’s Kwarx products.

Schott Zwiesel tritan® crystal was LGA certified to 2000 dishwasher cycles, with no loss of brilliance or clarity in March 2007. LGA also stated tritan® crystal was the best crystal glass they had tested for dishwasher resistance. The upper limit of Schott Zwiesel’s tritan® crystal for dishwasher resistance is still unknown.

Schott Zwiesel tritan® crystal is tempered against chips at the rim and breaks where the bowl joins the stem and where the stem joins the foot. This tempering, coupled with tritan® crystal’s innate strength, means Schott Zwiesel has superior resistance to the stress caused when glasses are loaded in dishwasher racks.

In contrast, Spiegelau’s Barium Crystal is only LGA certified to 1500 dishwasher cycles. In March 2007, LGA reported it failed on brilliance and clarity between 1500 and 1750 dishwasher cycles.

Arc International’s Kwarx glass – which is not crystal glass, but just a refined form of pub glass- was recorded by LGA as starting to fail at 1500 dishwasher cycles.

For the end user this means the diamond like brilliance of Schott Zwiesel’s tritan® crystal will last longer than the shine on any other crystal glass.