Our designs unite form, function and decoration. Rooted in the European glassmaking tradition, they are developed further with our own design vision. Time and again, OertelCrystal pieces have been recognised for their design and honoured with design awards.
Execution takes place in collaboration with experienced workshops and glass refiners. Traditional techniques such as cutting, engraving, glass painting and gilding are carried out with great artisanal precision. The result is work that visibly brings together design, material and refinement.
Each piece is carefully guided throughout the entire making process. What matters is the material’s presence, clean execution, harmonious proportions and a lasting, high-quality result. Quality is not created only at the end—it is checked at every single step.
GLASSMAKING
Glassmaking forms the basis for every later stage of refinement. In the workshops, clear, carefully worked glass is shaped into forms that make purity, proportion and material quality visible. For OertelCrystal, the decisive factor is not technical display, but the result: a balanced glass body that can take cutting, engraving, painting or gilding—and whose form endures.
GLASS CUTTING
Glass cutting gives crystal glass structure, depth and brilliance. Lines, facets and ornamental cuts are executed with great precision and play a defining role in the character of a piece. At OertelCrystal, cutting is not solely decorative. It organises light, surface and shape, making the craftsmanship immediately tangible.
GLASS ENGRAVING
Glass engraving enables fine lines, ornaments and figurative motifs. It demands experience, a steady hand and a precise understanding of surface and depth. In OertelCrystal’s work, engraving complements the form and lends it an individual, often very quiet expressive power. It can remain understated or place a motif artfully at the centre.
GLASS PAINTING
Glass painting brings together colour, line and material. Glass paints and enamel are applied with care and permanently bonded to the surface. The result is decoration that does not feel applied, but relates to the form. For OertelCrystal, glass painting is a technique of balance: between ornament and restraint, colour and transparency, tradition and design.
OROPLASTIK- RELIEF GILDING
Oroplastik is a form of relief gilding in which gold is applied not simply as a flat accent, but as a raised, tactile decoration. The technique demands exceptional care and gives the glass a distinguished yet delicate character. In OertelCrystal designs, Oroplastik is used sparingly to accentuate the form, ornamentation and precious quality of each piece.
The history of Oertel dates back to 1869. Over the generations, it developed into a company whose name remains closely associated with crystal glass to this day.
Oertel works with renowned glass finishers, glassworks and specialist production partners in Germany and abroad, providing the expertise needed for exceptional projects worldwide.
Oertel pieces can be found in prominent museums and collections and have been presented at international exhibitions.