Times Square Ball Evolution: 118 Years of History

The Times Square ball drop tradition began in 1907 to ring in 1908. Originally crafted from iron and wood, the ball measured 5 feet in diameter and weighed 700 pounds. Over the last 118 years, the ball has undergone significant redesigns. The current iteration, known as the Constellation Ball, weighs 12,350 pounds and measures 12.5 feet in diameter. It is adorned with more than 5,200 Waterford crystals.

The ball was not dropped in 1942 and 1943 due to World War II. For 2026, the ball will drop twice: once to mark the new year and again on July 3 to celebrate America's 250th birthday. This marks the first time the ball will drop outside of New Year's Eve in its history.

Before the invention of the Times Square ball, New Year's Eve celebrations in New York City were centered in Lower Manhattan. Crowds would gather outside Trinity Church to listen to the bells chime at midnight. However, the tradition moved north when The New York Times relocated its offices to Longacre Square in the early 1900s, which was promptly renamed Times Square.

The newspaper initially sponsored a midnight firework display to encourage celebrations in the new location. When the city's police department later banned fireworks, Adolph Ochs, the owner and publisher of The New York Times, commissioned the company's chief electrician, Walter Palmer, to find a new light display. Palmer found inspiration in a 19th-century maritime method of timekeeping, where a ball was dropped to help mariners ensure their timepieces were accurate.

The first ball was constructed by Jacob Starr, an immigrant metalworker. It was built of iron and wood, weighed 700 pounds, and featured 100 light bulbs. The company Artkraft Strauss was responsible for lowering the ball using an elaborate pulley system. The ball dropped for the first time on December 31, 1907, to ring in 1908, starting a tradition that has continued for over a century.

The ball has been redesigned multiple times throughout its history, reflecting changes in materials and technology. In the 1920s, the original heavy ball was replaced by a lighter version made of wrought iron that weighed 400 pounds.

During World War II, the ball drop was suspended. In 1942 and 1943, no ball was dropped due to the war and the city's participation in a dim-out to protect against attacks. Despite the lack of a ball, crowds still gathered in Times Square to celebrate. The ball drop resumed in 1944.

In 1955, the ball was recreated using aluminum, making it the lightest version at only 150 pounds. This aluminum ball was used until 1980. From 1981 to 1988, the ball was transformed into the "Big Apple Ball" for the "I Love New York" marketing campaign. It featured red light bulbs and a green stem. When the campaign ended in 1989, the traditional aluminum ball returned.

In 1995, the aluminum ball received upgrades including rhinestones and strobes. The most significant upgrade at the time was the addition of computer controls to lower the ball. The aluminum ball dropped for the last time in 1998.

For the turn of the millennium in 2000, the ball underwent a complete transformation. It was redesigned by Waterford Crystal and moved away from aluminum. To celebrate the ball's 100-year anniversary in 2007, it was upgraded with LEDs. The Centennial Ball featured more than 9,500 LEDs.

The ball has continued to evolve with new designs and themes in recent years. Ahead of 2023, nearly 200 new Waterford crystals were installed with the theme "Gift of Love." In 2024, the ball was given a "new bow tie lighting pattern" to honor Times Square's former nickname.

The 2025 ball featured two distinct crystal designs: the "One Times Square" design and the "Ever" design. The "Ever" design was created to honor One Times Square becoming a new destination for vow ceremonies in 2025.

The ball for the 2026 New Year's Eve celebration is the ninth iteration in the tradition's history. Named the Constellation Ball, it is the largest ever created. It weighs more than 12,000 pounds and measures 12.5 feet in diameter. The ball is adorned with more than 5,200 Waterford crystals arranged in circular patterns rather than the traditional triangular ones.

A unique feature of the 2026 celebration is that the ball will drop twice. Minutes after dropping to mark the start of 2026, the ball will be illuminated with a red, white, and blue "America250" design. It will drop again on July 3, 2026, to mark 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted. This will be the first time in its 118-year history that the ball drops outside of New Year's Eve.