Finishing Touches Put On New Year's Eve Ball In Times Square
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Workers are putting the final touches on the crystal ball for the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square.
The last of the 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles that cover the 12-foot Times Square ball were placed on Tuesday.
More: 5 Things You Didn't Know About The New Year's Eve Ball Drop
Workers installing #waterford #crystal triangles on #TimesSquareBall. #1010WINS pic.twitter.com/rzUfWoQiXv
— Samantha Liebman (@SamiLiebman) December 27, 2016
The final 288 triangles feature a new design reflecting the "gift of kindness." The design of rosettes and fronds symbolize unity and togetherness "reaching out in an expression of kindness."
"No act of kindness is ever unwarranted, it's never wasted, it can make a huge difference in somebody's life," Waterford's Tom Brennan said.
The triangles join others from previous years representing the gifts of fortitude, wonder and imagination from past years.
Latest #Waterford crystal design for #TimesSquare #balldrop. This year's theme: gift of kindness. More than 2k crystal triangles. #1010WINS pic.twitter.com/1t48hlrnlm
— Samantha Liebman (@SamiLiebman) December 27, 2016
The nearly 12,000-pound crystal ball will be illuminated with thousands of LED bulbs.
More: NYC's Ultimate New Year's Eve Events Guide | Best Bars To Ring In 2017
Putting the finishing touches on the Times Square Waterford crystal ball. @wcbs880 @timessquareball #NewYearsEve pic.twitter.com/vywWCUuRoB
— Marla Diamond (@MDiamond8) December 27, 2016
On Saturday night, outgoing United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will press the button to begin the ball drop.
The button launches a 60-second countdown to the new year.
Tim Tompkins with the Times Square Alliance told WINS' Liebman that security for the event is always rigorous.
"What they do is, first of all they set up an absolute perimeter around Times Square. You'll see these big concrete blocks, you'll also -- the night of -- see these big salt trucks that are filled with salt, that keep any kind of vehicle from being able to penetrate into Times Square," he said.
Tompkins likened it to an airport where everyone goes through metal detectors, but carry on bags aren't allowed.