Which New Year's Eve ball in New York used Waterford Crystal panels for the first time in 2000?

The Times Square Ball first used Waterford Crystal panels in 2000.

The New Year’s Eve ball displayed in Times Square has been redesigned several times since the first drop in 1907. The 2000 version introduced a much larger ball made with Waterford Crystal triangles and computer-controlled lighting. It was used for the millennium celebration and helped establish the jeweled, illuminated appearance associated with later versions.

The ball is raised to the top of One Times Square before the final countdown and then lowered during the last minute of the year. Later editions became larger and heavier, with more crystal panels and LED technology. The names “Times Square Ball” and “ball drop” are related but not identical: the first names the illuminated object, while the second describes the ceremony. Waterford Crystal is an Irish crystal manufacturer, not a New York institution, and its involvement is a partnership connected with the ball’s design.