BJ Crystal Hong Kong Co., Ltd.

Crafting crystal-clear souvenirs for all occasions

For centuries, crystals have been recognised by people of different cultural backgrounds as exquisite items that represent fortune, purity and permanence. By adding a few carefully designed elements to a beautiful piece of crystal, it instantly becomes a meaningful and terrific souvenir that makes an event even more remarkable and memorable.

Specialising in adding that magical touch to a fine piece of crystal, BJ Crystal Hong Kong Co., Ltd. has earned its solid reputation as a competent crystal souvenirs manufacturer since its inauguration at the turn of the millennium. According to BJ Crystal's director, Mr. Y. H. So, who has over 10 years of experience in the industry, the company now employs 10 sales, marketing and design staff in its Hong Kong headquarters and over 60 specially-skilled workers at its factory in Shanghai, Mainland China.

"I think this is the right mix for the unique market that we operate in. To be successful in our business, we need a wealth of highly-skilled labour and a lot of attention being paid to the finest details. It's the only way to upkeep the product quality and realise our mission: to provide our customers with the most innovative products and best service," Mr. So tells MegAsia.

BJ Crystal boasts an impressive array of crystal products that target the corporate premium and souvenirs market. To make sure they well-cater every customers' needs, the company also create unique collections in a number of shapes, sizes and innovative designs.

One of the newest products is the "City Themes" collection, which features the skylines of the most recognisable cities around the world. Combined with BJ Crystal's cutting-edge inner laser engraving technology, many of the company's new creations have become particularly well-received in the market. "The three-dimensional inner laser ‘City Themes' range is undoubtedly our top product at the moment," remarks Mr. So.

A highly complicated procedure is involved in this inner engraving process. "Firstly, our artists create a computer model based on various design perimeters on the city skylines or other objects. Then, these designs are transferred to our laser machine (which is imported from Europe) at our factory. And the final step is for this delicate equipment to wave its laser magic to etch the precise patterns to the inside of the crystal block," Mr. So describes.

"Creating the perfect models that truly replicate the actual skylines of various cities is an extremely complex and delicate process. We have to closely monitor how the models imprint on the inside of the crystal pieces. The tiniest pixel on the computer model affects the overall look of the final product. That is why we pay so much attention to the modeling stage. We work to ensure every piece of crystal that leaves our factory is equally perfect," he furthers.

More and more world cities are being incorporated into BJ Crystal's inner etching skyline collection. For the American market, the skylines of New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington are already replicated; while London and Paris headline the European models. Of course, the home city of BJ Crystal, Hong Kong, is featured vigorously in the collection too.

This same inner engraving technique is also applied to another product line themed for landmark buildings across the world, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, London's Big Ben and the Statue of Liberty in New York. Mr. So admits that modeling buildings is more straight forward when compared with city skylines. However, BJ Crystal pays the same amount of attention to ensure every piece of product is equally stunning.

Sharing with MegAsia the feedback from BJ Crystal's clientele, Mr. So says, "Our customers, particularly the new ones, are so astounded by our sophisticated products and outstanding craftsmanship."

Besides the inner engraving products, BJ Crystal also manufactures other crystal souvenirs under the city skylines and landmark buildings themes. The three-dimensional crystal figurines are crafted to the various shapes. The most established items yet are the White House and the city of Seattle.

"We have also tried mixing in the replications of landmarks. Take the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco as an example. We craft the crystal block to form the main structure of the bridge, while glass beads are used to make the steel wires for the beautiful suspension bridge," Mr. So introduces.

While crystal makes popular souvenirs for various cities' visitors, it is also gaining popularity in the corporate gift market. To cater for that growing market demand, BJ Crystal introduced the crystal awards, trophies and desktop accessories, which are great memorabilia that makes the important occasions even more unforgettable.

"From custom-made awards and plaques to desktop accessories like name card holders, paper weight and pen holders in various shapes, sizes and styles, we can flexibly accommodate our clients' requests. These items are particularly popular with major corporations or governmental organisations for their business partners, or even for their retiring or long-service staff. Nevertheless, a well-crafted crystal piece will serve as the best token of appreciation," elaborates Mr. So.

But the designs of crystal do not always have to be stereotyped and so serious. BJ Crystal has a lot more to offer. There are lively products like models of airplanes – including the world-famous Air Force One, space shuttles, cruise ships, locomotives, antique cars, race cars, trucks and even excavators. For the sports fans, there are tennis balls, soccer balls, baseballs, basketballs and even the golf balls.

"Thanks to the creative juice of one of our clients from Las Vegas, we have a genuinely creative item in our catalogue – a three dimensional crystal piece that is an exact model of a slot machine. In fact, we welcome special designs from our customers," Mr. So says excitingly.

"We use only top grade crystal imported from Europe, as the quality of the crystal has a pivotal impact on the quality of the finished products. It is the best way to ensure that our products are of the best quality. Of course, our competitive prices, stringent quality control measures and 100% after-sale services all play important roles to strengthen our market positioning," concludes Mr. So.