The 2023 Times Square Ball was covered with approximately 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles.
The illuminated ball at One Times Square is assembled from triangular crystal panels fitted onto a geodesic sphere. For the 2023 design, the panels formed the “Gift of Love” pattern, one of a series of annual themes created with Waterford Crystal.
The ball is about 12 feet (3.7 meters) in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds (about 5,400 kilograms). Its lighting system uses energy-efficient LEDs capable of producing millions of colors, allowing the surface to change appearance during the celebration.
The crystal triangles are not the same as the ball’s individual light sources. The panels diffuse and reflect the light, while electronically controlled LEDs provide the illumination. The number can change when the ball is redesigned, so figures tied to a particular year should not automatically be applied to every Times Square Ball.