Etching was very faintThis is a beautiful old fashioned glass. The detail is impressive and quite intricate, and is etched into the glass, not printed, so it should not fade or wear off. Better yet, because it's etched, the box says you can put it in the dishwasher - which I have with no problem. The glass is substantial so while still clearly fragile, it doesn't feel like its an eggshell. The only reason I gave this beautiful glass four stars instead of five is because of the price. As a novelty item, I can stomach $17 but if you wanted to create a drink set from this, the cost gets pretty steep pretty fast. They are definitely conversation starters and will be admired by your guests, though. I love them - just wish the price point was lower.If you have a love of Boston or a love of maps in general, this is a glass for you! I got it for my son---we are Bostonians and he loves maps---and he adores it. It's called a whiskey glass, but of course it's fine for any drink! The map is detailed and interesting, and the glass feels reasonably substantial. I do wish a couple things. One is that the etching would be more visible. It's kind of light, and it is highlighted more with certain color drinks than others. The other is that it would show all the neighborhoods of Boston---we are in Hyde Park and don't often show up on Boston maps, so we are used to that, though! Overall, this is really a great glass.First, Amazon delivered this in one of their “paper bag” mailers with no bubble wrap or protection. The manufacture’s box, which is thin, decorative, only covers a a portion of the glass, and provides zero protection, was quite beat up… and yet, somehow, this glass made it over 250 miles through two different delivery companies without a chip, scratch or crack. I looked it over a dozen times because I couldn’t believe it. So, no… this glass is not as fragile as it may appear online.As for the etchings, I chose the NYC glass and the etching is definitely deep enough to easily see. So it would photograph better, I stuffed a black cloth inside the glass so you could see which parts of the NYC map are included on the glass. It definitely doesn’t have as much luster when photographed this way, in fact my photos don’t reflect the beauty at all, but it was easier to capture the map in a photo this way than trying not to spill whiskey everywhere ;)Based on how beautiful and heavy this glass is, I will be purchasing the Nashville and LA ones. I am hoping to have a complete collection of our recent trips so we can reminisce while we sip.The etching is clear and the glass feels like a nice rocks glass. The NYC map looks accurate and is not excessively detailed. It looks best filled.I've reviewed a very similar product and this one is to be grouped with that one as a gift sometime in the future. The glas is a complement to the taller version and looks just as good in the right setting. The rim is smooth and flaw free... and the shaded color is perfect for what I plan to do with it.If you have a friend who has a fondness for The City, this is a great item to use as a basis for an arranged gift set.My husband is from Chicago and even though we haven't lived there for years, he still loves to collect Chicago-themed stuff. And he also likes to drink whiskey and bourbon, so when I saw this glass I knew he had to have it. It is a really nice glass, with clear etching. The size is good and it is a good weight - not too thin and lightweight, but with a bit of heft. The fact that the design is etched means you can put it through the dishwasher etc without worrying about the design coming off. It comes in a box you could gift it in, as well.We ordered both the LA & NY glasses and love them both.-The glass is very thick, not likely to crack or break. Love that we can stick them in the dishwasher!-Great conversation starter for when you have guests over. We ordered the glasses for the city where we live (LA).-We use them for all kinds of drinks, but the patterns are most visible when you fill them with darker liquids.-The design is very clear, though the etching appears to have vertical lines running through it, so it's not completely smooth