Crystal Prism Ball Window Suncatcher Rainow Maker 30mm/1.18 inches with Chain for Easy Hanging Pack of 3

TLDR: Glass crystals are high quality, with no scratches, chips, cheap foil backing or air bubbles. They are most likely clear glass crystal or just clear glass. Definitely a good deal for the price. Read further for info on what "glass crystal" is and for comparison reviews of other crystals.After scouring Amazon's reviews to find a quality crystal glass suncatcher, I noticed that people use the word "crystal" pretty loosely and interchangeably for many things (i.e. 'crystals' meaning rocks, like quartz).There are numerous suncatchers with high ratings due to stellar reviews. But it was still a process picking through which products were ACTUALLY glass (yes, some reviewers couldn't seem to detect plastic from glass ...), let alone crystal glass.I think there's confusion because the market is saturated with all levels of quality "crystal" and things that aren't even crystal are labeled as such.I myself had to research a little bit to find out the finer details like what AB and K9 is referring to.Before buying, definitely read through the comments and the company's description of the product. Photos from other reviewers do make a big difference too. You can definitely tell when it's plastic and cheaply foiled. You'll see the scratches in the acrylic when it's held up to the light.For better clarification:Crystal is essentially a TYPE of glass. It is not plastic, acrylic or even resin. Yes, they can be coated with a foil back (AB - "Aurora Borealis") but just how many coatings of foil are applied will make the difference between good and bad quality AB crystal. For example, Swarovski jewelry has high quality AB foil backing in either clear or colored, therefore, it's more expensive and gets that one of a kind sparkle we all associate the brand with.Crystal glass has a much higher refractive index (the sparkly rainbow effects that suncatchers create when light passes through them) than just regular glass.There's a certain amount of lead oxide that is added into it during the creation process of heating up types of sands. This gives it a more polished and sparkled look than regular glass.It's been perfected over the years and there are varying degrees of how the glass crystal is made. If you see bubbles or yellowing, it's for certain going to be of lower quality.K9 crystal aka "Chinese Glass" is a variety of optical borosilicate crown glass. It was first made in China in the 90s as a cheaper alternative to the more expensive brands in the U.S. and Europe. Most crystal glass nowadays are made of K9 Chinese crystal including expensive chandeliers and wine glasses.Chinese glass doesn't necessarily mean it's not good quality. But considering Swarovski for example, is very expensive, in contrast there's other options. K refers to the German word for "Crown" (Krone). 9 just refers to the % of lead oxide in the crystal.So if you see companies boasting about K9 crystal, that's what it means. K5 for example, has a lower percentage of lead oxide. So K9 would be better quality since it has more.Pictured is one of the prism orbs in the center of some other purchased crystals for comparison (all from different vendors). You can see the rainbow foil effect on the ones surrounding it. Compared to these other crystals, this orb is much more clear and less "rainbowy" than the others. For me, that's not a deal breaker. For others it might be. I like it because I can tell it's made of higher quality than the stars, moons, octogons and icicles. They have minor scratches and chips around the edges.While I can confidently say these suncatchers (bought the 3 pack) are glass, the level of "crystal" in it is more vague. I'm not an expert, I don't know the scale index of its refraction. I'm mainly going off of experience when looking at fine Swarovski beads and how sparkly, clear and refractive they were. I know it when I see it.Unfortunately, the sun hasn't been out the last few days so I went off artificial light. I can already see refracted beams of light shooting through them. There are specs of rainbow hues and the glass is clear and sparkly. There are no chips, scratches, foil peeling (I can't detect any foil being used) compared to the other crystals. My guess is that it's most likely clear glass crystal. Or possibly just clear glass.I still give this a great rating. For the price, you're getting 3 of these and it's a good deal. Nowhere on their storefront did the seller name K9 or AB in their description of these suncatchers. They do say "crystal glass" though, but most of it is buzzwords.I'm happy with the purchase and I'm sure these will do the job just fine. I'm currently reviewing several different purchased crystals all from different vendors.Compared to the other "crystals" I've purchased, these are definitely on the higher end of quality. Though it's not producing as much rainbow effects. Once the sun is out I'll test them and see if they refract more rainbows.The rating questionnaire is bizarre. "sturdiness"? "Giftable"? How about quality? Accuracy of description? Still giving it 5/5Update 3/13/23:Ordered some suncatchers from another vendor. Took photos for comparison (last two photos. JIHUI'S are the ones on the right). Clearly the left one has AB foil on it while JIHUI (this vendor's) is clear. Also the AB foiled ball is definitely a hard acrylic/plastic of sorts. Feels totally different than this one. JIHUI's is much nicer even without the AB foil.

I hung one by my window and it makes the most beautiful rainbows on my walls. I hung one on my porch and it sparkles so beautifully. When the sun is at the right angle, some rainbows shine in through the window yet.

The crystal ball is beautiful and reflects the sun as described. The chain length and hook provide the opportunity to hang and re-hang in many places. I have one hanging from my car windshield and the others hanging in the windows in my home. Even when they are not reflective due to not being in direct sunlight, they are a simple and beautiful addition to decore. My only con is that both the chain and hook are relatively thin.

Perfect for seeing rainbows all over the interior when the sun is shining!

Love how these prism balls catch the light from the window and cast the colors upon the wall, so beautifully! Make a great addition to windows, and a great gift. Terrific quality for the money.

Good sunlight thru my windows.

Perfect for any room in the house. Gave them as a gift to someone who had just lost a loved one.

I hung them in my windows in my home office. Every day when the sun comes through my window it fills my office with rainbows. I love it!