- Title: Waterford crystals installed in Times Square New Year's Eve ball
- Date: 27th December 2016
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 27, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF WORKERS INSTALLING WATERFORD CRYSTAL PANELS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIM TOMPKINS, TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE PRESIDENT, SAYING: "The Waterford theme of the 'Gift of Kindness' is really perfect for this year. Because I think 2016 has been a tough year and it always hasn't been kind. Just the larger events in the world. Things like Brexit, our divisive presidential election, debates in Europe about what to do with refugees. It's been a tough year. So the theme of kindness on the small scale and on the large scale is really important. And I think it resonates in Times Square because Times Square is the 'Crossroads of the World'. It's a global celebration more than any other celebration." WORKERS SCREWING IN PANELS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIM TOMPKINS, TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE PRESIDENT, SAYING: "That is the theme of New Year's Eve. It's the theme of the Waterford crystals. It's the theme of this globe behind me and hopefully the theme of the globe in 2017." VARIOUS OF WORKERS INSTALLING CRYSTAL PANEL VARIOUS OF WATERFORD CRYSTAL TRIANGLES (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIM TOMPKINS, TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE PRESIDENT, SAYING: "You know it's funny, when you are down in Times Square, it actually looks very small. But it is this very large symbol that the world connects to because I think it's about a little bit of light in the midst of the darkness, this turning a corner and this mental reset we do when we want to turn the lights off and then turn them on a start anew." VARIOUS OF WATERFORD CRYSTAL BALL
- Embargoed: 11th January 2017 18:26
- Keywords: New Year New York crystal ball Times Square Waterford
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Human Interest/Brights/Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ENSEOP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The iconic Times Square New Year's Ball Drop is just days away and final preparations were being made to the world famous Waterford crystal ball on Tuesday (December 27).
Workers installed the last of the 288 new sparkling Waterford crystal triangles. The new crystal triangles feature a new design for 2017 called the "Gift of Kindness".
Tim Tompkins, the president of the Times Square Alliance explained. "The Waterford theme of the 'Gift of Kindness' is really perfect for this year. Because I think 2016 has been a tough year and it always hasn't been kind. Just the larger events in the world. Things like Brexit, our divisive presidential election, debates in Europe about what to do with refugees. It's been a tough year. So the theme of kindness on the small scale and on the large scale is really important. And I think it resonates in Times Square because Times Square is the 'Crossroads of the World'. It's a global celebration more than any other celebration."
The "Gift of Kindness" theme is meant to symbolize unity in 2017.
"That is the theme of New Year's Eve. It's the theme of the Waterford crystals. It's the theme of this globe behind me and hopefully the theme of the globe in 2017," Tompkins added.
The custom-designed crystal triangles are built by Waterford artisans to withstand high winds, rain and cold weather.
The Times Square New Year's Eve Waterford crystal ball measures 12 feet (3.7 meters) in diameter and weighs 11,875 pounds (5,386 kilograms). It is covered in a total of 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles. Of the 2,688 crystal triangles, 288 will sparkle with the new "Gift of Kindness" design.
"You know it's funny, when you are down in Times Square, it actually looks very small. But it is this very large symbol that the world connects to because I think it's about a little bit of light in the midst of the darkness, this turning a corner and this mental reset we do when we want to turn the lights off and then turn them on a start anew," suggested Tompkins.
On New Year's Eve in New York, more than a million people are expected to gather together in Times Square to hail the arrival of 2017. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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