Choosing the right award is about more than selecting something attractive. The material, weight, finish and customisation options all influence how the finished award looks and feels.
Acrylic and crystal are two of the most popular choices for corporate awards, sporting presentations, employee recognition and special events. Both can create a premium result, but they offer distinctly different styles.
In this guide, we explain the differences between acrylic and crystal awards to help you choose the best option for your occasion.
What Are Acrylic Awards?
Acrylic is a strong, lightweight and highly versatile material. It can be cut into custom shapes, produced in different thicknesses and combined with colour printing, engraving and layered design elements.
Modern acrylic awards can achieve an exceptionally polished appearance. Clear acrylic provides a glass-like finish, while coloured, frosted, mirrored or printed acrylic can be used to create something more distinctive.
Because acrylic is so adaptable, it is particularly suitable for fully customised awards based on a logo, event theme, product or brand identity.
Benefits of acrylic awards
- Highly customisable in shape, size and thickness
- Suitable for laser engraving and full-colour printing
- Available in clear, coloured, frosted and mirrored finishes
- Lighter and easier to handle than crystal
- More resistant to accidental breakage
- Ideal for layered and dimensional designs
- Suitable for small or large award quantities
Acrylic is an excellent choice when you want the award to become part of the design rather than simply providing a surface for engraving.
What Are Crystal Awards?
Crystal awards are known for their weight, clarity and traditional prestige. They are commonly used for corporate recognition, service awards, leadership presentations, business milestones and high-level achievements.
Their substantial feel makes them impressive to hold and present. Crystal also interacts beautifully with light, producing reflections that give the award an elegant and timeless appearance.
Crystal awards are available in a variety of established shapes, including blocks, diamonds, stars, columns and faceted designs. They can generally be personalised with engraving, printing or a combination of both, depending on the individual award.
Benefits of crystal awards
- Premium weight and presentation
- Elegant clarity and light reflection
- Timeless, formal appearance
- Ideal for executive and corporate recognition
- Available in a range of classic shapes and styles
- Well suited to engraving and selected printing methods
- Creates a strong sense of importance when presented
Crystal is often the preferred choice when the occasion calls for a formal, classic or prestigious presentation.
The Main Differences Between Acrylic and Crystal
Although clear acrylic and crystal can appear similar in photographs, they feel very different in person.
Weight
Crystal is considerably heavier and has a substantial feel when held. Acrylic is much lighter, making it easier to transport, package and present—particularly when ordering awards in larger quantities.
Customisation
Acrylic provides greater freedom when creating a completely original shape. It can be designed around a company logo, sporting figure, building, product or event theme.
Crystal awards are usually selected from existing shapes and then personalised with the recipient’s details, logo and message.
Appearance
Crystal has a traditional brilliance and reflects light through its polished or faceted surfaces. It provides a timeless, formal finish.
Acrylic offers a more contemporary appearance and can incorporate bold colours, intricate shapes, layered elements and full-colour artwork.
Durability
Acrylic is less likely to shatter if accidentally dropped, making it a practical choice for sporting clubs, schools, travelling presentations and events involving large quantities.
Crystal should be handled carefully, as its weight and composition make it more vulnerable to chipping or breakage.
Price
The final price depends on the size, thickness, design, quantity and personalisation required. Acrylic often provides greater flexibility across different budgets, while premium crystal is generally selected when weight and prestige are the priority.
Should You Choose Acrylic or Crystal?
The best option depends on the style of your event and the impression you want the award to create.
Choose an acrylic award if you want:
- A custom shape or branded design
- Bright colours or full-colour printing
- A modern and creative appearance
- A lightweight yet premium award
- Greater flexibility with your budget or quantity
Choose a crystal award if you want:
- A heavier and more traditional presentation piece
- A formal or executive appearance
- Brilliant reflections and faceted detailing
- A classic award for a significant achievement
- A timeless design that suits many occasions
There is no universally better material. The right choice is the one that best represents the achievement, recipient and event.
Can Acrylic Awards Still Look Premium?
Absolutely. High-quality acrylic should not be confused with thin or inexpensive plastic products.
Thick, polished acrylic can create an impressive glass-like appearance while allowing far more creative freedom. It can also be layered with additional acrylic, metal, timber or printed elements to produce a substantial custom award.
The quality of the design, materials, printing, engraving and finishing ultimately determines how premium the completed award looks.
Custom Acrylic and Crystal Awards from Select Awards
At Select Awards, we help businesses, sporting clubs, schools and organisations create awards that properly reflect the achievements being recognised.
We offer a wide selection of crystal awards that can be professionally personalised, along with custom acrylic awards designed specifically for your brand or event. Our custom capabilities include laser engraving, precision cutting, full-colour printing and layered construction.
Whether you already have a finished concept or only a rough idea, our team can help you choose the right material and turn it into an award people will be proud to receive and display.
Explore our range online or contact Select Awards to discuss a custom award for your next presentation.
