Substantial, and beautiful. I installed these in my daughter's "pink" bedroom. I liked that the finials looked kind of like a magic crystal in a flower. Perfect for a girl who loves princesses, unicorns, and the like. I installed them myself. Easy, took 10-15 min, and they look fantastic. I have heavy black-out curtains hanging on them...they've been there for over a year, and they've not bowed or bent in the least. Kids can be tough on stuff. This rod holds up.