Pat Boyce - Master Cutter


Pat began his apprenticeship as a Wedge Cutter with Waterford Crystal in 1965. After his apprenticeship of five years, he became a fully qualified Cutter and then earned the title of Master Wedge Cutter in 1973. Pat has worked in the Special Department for a number of years where only the top Master Cutters work on special “once-off” pieces. Some of the most well known pieces he has worked on include special pieces such as the Celebration Vase, The Four Seasons Vase, The Kings Bowl, The Master Piece Collection, The Designers Gallery Collection and Waterford Crystal Trophies.

Pat enjoys walking, soccer and horse-racing. When time allows, Pat also loves to travel and has visited the USA, Germany, Italy and Spain.

 

   
   


“When I am given a unit of crystal to cut, it is number coded with a certain pattern. The type of pattern, it’s depth and the angle at which it is cut, depends on the thickness of the crystal. Another important consideration is the development of the pattern. I would usually begin by cutting the main pattern first, and then adding the surrounding motifs.”

 


“Today diamond tip wheels are used in wedge cutting. These are new introductions and are much easier to use. Before they were introduced we worked with carborundum wheels which required a lot of maintenance and were much more difficult to operate.”