First, I thought twice about ordering something made of crystal from China, but I've always wanted an hourglass ( I orderded the 60 minute version ) so I ordered it anyway. It was a little late but that's to be expected these days. It was wrapped in a double layer of plastic - then a cardboard box - then an ornate box and inside of that was some bubble wrap and the hourglass rested in custom foam. It didn't have a scratch on it :)Now to describe the item : it is absolutely beautiful !! I ordered purple sand and it looks awesome with the crystal structure. I saw the dimensions before I ordered, but it's bigger than I expected ( that's a plus ).I timed it and it isn't precise. It took an hour and 4 minutes to empty ( I had to check ). That's not a showstopper, just some info. Bottom line - I am so pleased with my purhcase.