The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball contains 2,688 Waterford Crystal panels.
The modern ball is a geodesic sphere measuring 12 feet, or about 3.7 meters, in diameter. Its illuminated surface is covered with triangular crystal panels, which catch and reflect the light during the annual descent above One Times Square.
The crystal design has changed over time as the ball has been enlarged and technologically upgraded. Waterford Crystal became associated with the ball in 2000, when a new millennium-themed ball was introduced. Later versions added programmable LED lighting.
The number of crystal panels is different from the ball's weight, diameter, or number of lights. Those figures are often confused because the ball is described using several specifications at once.