Installation of All Crystal Triangles Complete for 2023 Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball
NEW YORK — All 2,688 crystal triangles that comprise this year’s Times Square New Year’s Eve ball have been successfully installed, a significant milestone as this marks the first full replacement of the iconic ball’s decorations in a decade.
Prominent figures were on site to assist in the final assembly atop One Times Square, the skyscraper renowned for hosting the grand drop of the 11,875-pound (5,386-kilogram) geodesic sphere to usher in the new year.
The tradition of the New Year’s Eve ball drop began in 1907 when immigrant metalworker Jacob Starr crafted the original ball, weighing 700 pounds (318 kilograms) with a diameter of 5 feet (1.52 meters) made from iron and wood, adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs. Over the past century, six updated versions of the ball have graced the event.
Notably, the ball drop did not occur in 1942 and 1943 due to World War II restrictions when the city implemented a nightly “dimout.” Instead of the traditional celebration, New Yorkers observed a moment of silence followed by chimes from the base of One Times Square.
