Times Square Ball and Big Ben getting ready for New Year countdown
發佈日期: 2025-12-28 22:31
TVB News
In the US, the permanent Times Square Ball in New York City is getting ready for the new year with a crystal upgrade. And across the big pond, the Big Ben is also getting rigged up for the big night.
Workers were removing old pieces from the New Year's Eve ball that remains atop New York City's One Times Square year-round and replacing them with fresh Waterford crystals.
The iconic ball's descent to signal the start of the new year has come a long way since its 1907 debut.
Changing from the triangular shaped crystals introduced in 1999, this makeover will feature 5,280 circular discs.
The president of Waterford Crystal said: "The design this year is based in a circular fashion. So it's a disc which really represents infinity. So it's the idea of infinity, never ending hope, always looking forward, innovation, looking ahead."
As the ball drops from a pole in the countdown, it is poised to light up with an America250 design and turn red, white and blue to kick off celebrations of the nation's 250th anniversary.
Meanwhile in London, a team of clockmakers at the Palace of Westminster have been working to make sure that Britain's most famous clock, Big Ben, ticks accurately on New Year's Eve. This after the recent restoration work of the Great Clock of Westminster in Cumbria.
The clockmakers said they would have rigged up all preparations the week before the new year live broadcast.
Clockmaker Ian Westworth said: "We're at the top of the Elizabeth Tower, and I'm stood next to Big Ben which is the biggest bell in the clock tower. One of five. We'll be up here working on New Year's Eve, waiting for the fireworks to go off. And our job up here over New Year's Eve is to make sure that the first blow of Big Ben is exactly at midnight."
