The final crystal triangles for this year’s Times Square New Year’s Eve ball were installed on Friday morning, completing a significant milestone in the ball’s history.
This marks the first time in 10 years that all 2,688 of the ball’s iconic crystals have been replaced at once.
Among those present for the installation were rapper Pitbull and inventor Joy Mangano, who joined the celebration organizers at One Times Square to put the last pieces in place.
The geodesic sphere, weighing 11,875 pounds (5,386 kilograms), will descend from the skyscraper to mark the arrival of 2025.
The tradition of the New Year’s Eve ball drop dates back to 1907, when a 700-pound (318-kilogram), 5-foot (1.52-meter) diameter ball made of iron and wood, featuring 100 25-watt light bulbs, was first dropped to usher in the new year.
Since then, the ball has undergone six upgrades, with the current version being the most elaborate yet.
The ball drop was halted only twice in its history, during 1942 and 1943, when New York City implemented a “dimout” during World War II.
Instead of the usual celebration, crowds observed a moment of silence followed by chimes rung from the base of One Times Square.
This year’s installation of the final crystal triangles marks the completion of a decade-long restoration effort, ensuring that the ball remains a dazzling symbol of the new year’s arrival.
