I knew the 14" was something special when I bought the set from my friend, after I cleaned the thick layer of dust off I could see it was stamped "K. Zildjian, Made in Turkey". From the fine folks here, I found out it was made in the 50s.
Unlike my modern crash cymbals, it never got abused, I used it on quiet gigs & in the studio a few times, in the last 21 years it's been a practice cymbal.
A warm but bright enough tone, with just the right amount of sustain, a wonderful cymbal.
Then last week, during practice, I notice it's not sounding good.
We're between songs, so I pull it off the stand & there it is, a 1/4" radial crack at the edge.
Did I mention I'd had it for 27 years?
I will not attempt to grind the crack out or drill it, it will go on the wall next to other fine cymbals that have given their lives to enrich mine.