If you’re looking for a dock for your iPhone (charging dock, speaker/music dock, alarm dock), there are a wide variety of them out there. I had the opportunity to get my hands on the beautifully handcrafted Crystal Dock by CalypsoCrystal for the iPhone. If you like crystal, the Crystal Dock may be what you’re looking for.

The Crystal Dock

When the Crystal Dock arrived, I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve never owned a dock, nor would I consider myself being “into” crystal.

Packaging

The packaging of the Crystal Dock is elegant, and the experience of opening it is very personal. The Crystal Dock is neatly packaged in a gift box, and the first thing I saw was a personalized card addressed to me, and the letter inside was hand-signed. The Crystal Dock is snugly and neatly fit inside foam.

Craftsmanship and Design

I am not familiar with crystal nor the process and labor that is involved with handcrafting something like the Crystal Dock, but my initial impression when I pulled it out was, “Wow, this really is beautiful.” The detail, smoothness, and clarity of the Crystal Dock achieved seems remarkable. To think that each and every groove was done by hand can’t help but make you appreciate the craftsmanship and labor that goes into making each dock.

When I typically hear “crystal”, I sometimes think of the word “gaudy”, but the Crystal Dock is far from it. I would say that on most surfaces and environments, the Crystal Dock would look very elegant and beautiful.

I saw “Rogaska” subtly etched on the bottom of the dock. After doing a bit of homework, Rogaska is considered a luxury brand of crystal and is used in high-quality crystal products. I will say this: the crystal is super clear. I wrote something on a piece of paper and was able to clearly read what I wrote through the thickest part of the crystal. I’ve never shopped for crystal, but I have shopped for diamonds, and after carefully looking through the crystal (I didn’t use a loop), I noticed very few, almost unnoticeable, imperfections.

There are four designs of the Crystal Dock you can choose from (Aurora, Beau, Celestia, and Dune) (I received the Dune), each with its own unique design. The pricing is discussed further in this review.

Function

The Crystal Dock is a charging dock—There are no additional practical functions it serves other than it possibly being a paper weight. It is only compatible with the old 30-pin connector present on devices like the iPhone 4S/4/3GS/3G, and iPod Touch 4G (the Crystal Dock is not compatible with the iPhone 5 or the iPod Tough 5G with the new lightning connector). You will have to provide your own iPhone cable with this purchase for it does not come with one.

The Crystal Dock is heavy enough to be considered a sturdy dock; you won’t have to worry about the dock tipping over, even with a slight nudge, unlike some of the light plastic docks that I’ve seen around. However, it is a bit slippery. There is nothing on the bottom of the dock to prevent it from slipping, but adding something would detract from the aesthetics of the dock, and the Crystal Dock would be considered a stationery dock and is not designed to be used on-the-go (e.g. on the tray table in front of you during a flight).

On the dock it holds the iPhone at a slight angle, which allows for better visibility, considering it’ll sit a bit lower than your normal line of sight when sitting at your workspace.

Cost

I’m as practical as they come, and if there is one aspect of the Crystal Dock that I would consider somewhat conflicting it’s the pricing. Of the 4 types of Crystal Docks you can choose from, 3 of them (Beau, Celestia, and Dune) are priced at $119 and the Aurora at $349 (only 999 of the Aurora will be produced), which I would not categorize as cheap; however, I wouldn’t consider the Crystal Dock and everyday item either—it’s definitely a premium, niche item. At its price, providing a charging cable with the dock should at least be considered.

Summary

4.0

This was a bit of a more difficult one. There is no denying the elegance, beauty, and luxury of the Crystal Dock when considering the process it goes through, hand-cut craftsmanship, and quality of the crystal used. At its asking price, it’s hard for me to think that many could justify buying it, but if you or someone you know are looking for that really unique accessory for yourself or as a gift for someone else and you’re willing to look past the price, the Crystal Dock is quite the product! Get yours at www.calypsocrystal.com.

CalypsoCrystal also offers a variety of premium leather cases, Calypso Case. Check them out at www.calypsocrystal.com.