Almost 200 new Waterford Crystals to join 2,500 on Times Square's New Year's Eve ball

Event organizers test the New Year's Eve Ball ahead of the official Times Square celebration in New York. Photo: AP/Frank Franklin II

Just before last night's New Year's Eve celebrations in New York, almost 200 new Waterford crystals joined over 2,000 sparkling triangles covering the ball that drops over the city's Times Square every year.

"We're here today replacing 192 of the Waterford crystal triangles on that ball behind me with a new design, 'the Gift of Wisdom,'" said Jeffrey Strauss, president of Countdown Entertainment, ahead of the ceremony.