The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball has been covered with crystal since Waterford Crystal became its designer in 2000.
The ball is a large time ball lowered from One Times Square in New York City each New Year's Eve. Waterford Crystal, an Irish crystal manufacturer, began designing the annual ball in 2000, giving the tradition a more elaborate visual identity for the new millennium.
The ball is commonly called a crystal ball, but its outer panels are crystal triangles mounted on an illuminated sphere rather than one solid piece of crystal. The design has changed several times, and the number and arrangement of panels have increased as lighting technology improved. The ball's descent lasts about 60 seconds and ends at midnight Eastern Time.