Too much Swarovski is never enough, especially during the holidays, when we all want sparkle. And during the holidays in New York City, the most popular sparkle can be found at Rockefeller Center, where each year gaggles of locals as well as tourists stop by to view the Christmas tree, which has been topped by a Swarovski star each year since 2004.

This year’s star is 9½ feet in diameter, 1½ feet in depth, weighs a whopping 550 pounds, and comprises 25,000 crystals with 1,000,000 facets. The star is high-tech and low-cost (energy-wise): It has enhancements such as a new cutting-edge computerized lighting system and energy-efficient LED bulbs. The star’s 12 rays are outfitted with 720 bulbs on 3,000 feet of wire to create a twinkling effect through customized light sequencing programmed by a complex computer system.

Source: Luxist.com