A total of 2,688 Waterford Crystal Triangles lit by 672 LED modules ensure the nearly 6-ton disco ball will shine brightly when lowered at 11:59 a.m. ET on December 31 to count the last 60 seconds of 2021 and ring in 2022.

Waterford has decorated the famous New Years Ball since the turn of the new millennium 22 years ago. And since 2014, Waterford has added 192 crystal triangles to the ball each year. The addition represents a “greatest gift” representing the hopes and themes of each new year, such as happiness, harmony and kindness, according to the company. The “Gift of Wisdom” design for 2022 includes blue cobalt crystals.

“The triangles feature a series of intricate wedge cuts that appear to be endless mirror reflections of each other inspiring our imaginations with a kaleidoscope of colorful patterns on the ball.” Waterford explains on its website.

Fun facts about the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball this year:

• The ball is a geodesic sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighs 11,875 pounds.

• The ball is covered with a total of 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles varying in length from 4 3⁄4 inches to 5 3⁄4 inches per side.

• The 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles are bolted onto 672 LED modules, which are attached to the aluminum frame of the ball.

• The ball is illuminated by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs (light-emitting diodes). Each LED module contains 48 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs – 12 red, 12 blue, 12 green and 12 white – for a total of 8,064 of each color.

• The ball is capable of creating a palette of over 16 million vivid colors and billions of patterns, producing a spectacular kaleidoscope effect.

Waterford and the Times Square New Years Eve organizers have been coy about the cost of the ball, calling it “invaluable,” but conceded that it is valued at over a million dollars.

But for all those jaw-dropping facts and figures, the ball drop is rooted in some pretty humble beginnings. The official Times Square website notes that the New Year’s ball made its first descent in 1907, when The New York Times – which officially opened its headquarters in Times Square with a New Years Eve party in 1904 – lowered a 700-pound wood and iron ball adorned with a hundred 25-watt light bulbs at midnight to usher in the year 1908 And over the next 114 years, thousands of revelers have gathered in person year after year to watch the ball fall through the heart of New York – with millions more tuned in via their televisions, and now via live broadcasts.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has curtailed the celebration over the past two years. While around 60,000 people typically flocked to Times Square before the pandemic to watch the ball drop in person, attendance will be capped at 15,000 this year as the highly contagious variant of omicron has led to an increase in cases of the disease. COVID and deaths.

Additionally, revelers will not be allowed into viewing areas until 3 p.m., which is much later than in previous years. And everyone present must show proof of vaccination and wear a mask – preferably an N95, KN95 or KF94 mask, which health experts say is much more effective against the omicron variant than a single-layer fabric mask. .