Custom Glass Awards and Trophies

About Glass Awards

A glass award is an elegant, affordable way to recognize a top performer, thank a client, or mark a milestone. Glass takes engraving cleanly and catches the light, so the piece reads as a small work of art with the recipient's achievement on it. Most of ours run under $100, and your company logo costs nothing to add.

Most award glass is soda-lime glass made by the float process, where molten glass is floated on molten metal to give it smooth, even faces. Clear glass with a low iron content reads water-clear and is often called Starphire. Standard glass and jade glass carry a light green tint that comes from the iron in the glass. Next to crystal, glass is lighter and costs less, which makes it easy to order in volume.

Glass awards come in a wide range of shapes, from stars, diamonds, and sails to globes, pillars, and spheres, plus sports and animal designs. They suit business recognition and just as easily a wedding favor, an anniversary, or a retirement. Browse the full range through our awards and recognition collection, or see hand-blown art glass awards for one-of-a-kind pieces.

How Glass Awards Are Made

Glass has been a professional recognition staple for decades, both for its look and for how many ways it can be customized. As a custom awards manufacture, here is how a cut glass award comes together:

• It starts as float glass, made by floating molten glass on a bath of molten metal. That gives the glass smooth sides and an even thickness.
• The ribbon of glass is cooled slowly and passed through a kiln to anneal it, which keeps it from cracking as the temperature changes.
• The glass arrives in large sheets, usually between .375 and .75 inches thick, which we cut down into different sizes and shapes.
• Each piece is polished, then engraved or printed with the name, logo, and message.

Art glass awards are made a different way, shaped by hand rather than cut from sheet glass, so each one is one of a kind.

Engraved Glass Plaques

A glass plaque is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to recognize someone. Most are a flat panel of clear or jade glass that stands on its own, engraved with a name, a date, and a short line of thanks. They look clean on a desk or a shelf, they photograph well at a ceremony, and they cost less than a sculpted crystal piece, so they are easy to order for a whole team at once. Engraving is free, you approve a proof before we make it, and most orders ship in about six days. If you want a true wall-mounted plaque in wood or metal, see our plaque awards instead.

Beyond plaques, glass comes in an assortment of shapes, from stars and pillars to diamonds and sails, in clear (often called Starphire), jade with a light green tint.

Choosing a Glass Award: Size, Color, and Shape

A few simple choices get you to the right piece. Match the size to the moment: smaller pieces for an individual or a team thank-you, larger ones for a headline award or an executive. Think about where it will sit, since a desk suits a smaller award and a shelf or lobby case suits a taller one.

For color, clear glass works for anything and keeps the focus on the engraving. color accents bring in a company branding or an event theme. For shape, clean stars, rectangles, and circles read as classic, while flames, sails, and globes give a more modern or thematic look, like a globe for international work or a pillar for leadership.

Whatever you pick, engraving is free. Add the name, the date, and a short message, or your logo in full color, and you will see a proof of the exact layout before we make anything.

Engraving and Customization

Custom engraved glass awards add a layer of thoughtfulness and makes the recognition more meaningful. Consider engraving the recipient's name, the date, or a brief congratulatory message. It's also important to consider the practical aspects of the award, such as its durability and ease of maintenance.

Selecting a glass award is a nuanced process that involves careful consideration. Remember, the right size and color enhance the beauty of the award and the sentiment behind it. By paying attention to these details, you can choose an award that genuinely celebrates achievement and leaves a lasting impression.