What material has covered the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball's illuminated panels since 2000?

Waterford Crystal has covered the illuminated panels of the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball since 2000.

The partnership introduced a more elaborate crystal design for the millennium celebration. Waterford Crystal panels are arranged over the ball's geodesic surface and refract the light produced by the ball's internal lighting system.

The ball has changed substantially since the first 1907 version. Earlier balls used materials such as iron, wood, aluminum, and light bulbs, while later designs became larger, brighter, and more technologically advanced. The present ball is 12 feet (3.7 meters) in diameter and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds (5,400 kilograms).

The crystal panels are also part of a yearly design tradition. New patterns have been introduced over time, so the ball's appearance can change even though its descent remains the same familiar final-minute ritual.