Swarovski rhinestones, what are they?

Tags: #Linen

Many people have heard about Swarovski crystals, but not everyone knows what they are. Some people know that these are not diamonds, but very expensive accessories and things, as well as costume jewelry, are decorated with them.

So let's figure out what Swarovski rhinestones are, why are they so expensive and how do they differ from other synthetic stones?

What are Swarovski crystals?

Jewelry with rhinestones is common. But there is such jewelry that is as close as possible to jewelry. It is created using the famous Swarovski rhinestones. These are not glass or plastic crystals. These are stones of high transparency and incredible play of light, as close as possible to the play of diamonds.

The edges of the crystals are clear and sharp. It is impossible to find chips or cloudy inclusions on them - this is the result of the unique crystal composition, which was invented by the founder of the brand. More than 100 years have passed since the founding of the company, and the recipe and technology for producing crystal remains a secret. This is the only manufacturer of crystal of this quality in the world.And it’s not surprising, because if the recipe is made public, then Swarovski crystals will cease to be so unique.

REFERENCE! Glassmakers in factories are subject to high requirements - if a batch has decreased transparency, cloudiness or bubbles have appeared, it is sent for remelting. The key to success of Swarovski crystals is absolute transparency and precise cutting.

Why are they called that, their features

Swarovski crystals are named after the name of their inventor, Daniel Swarovski. Daniel was born in mountainous Bohemia, a place that has always been famous for its high-quality glass.

Daniel first worked as an apprentice in his father's glass workshop. But later he went to Paris to become an engineer. And after visiting the World Electrotechnical Exhibition, the young man thought about improving the glass grinding process using current. He soon introduced the electric grinder to the world. This became the basis for the birth of a new brand – Swarovski.

REFERENCE! Daniel Swarovski invented the world's first current-based crystal grinding machine. This happened in 1891, and a year later he received a patent for his invention. And 3 years later, in 1895, he founded a crystal production plant in Austria.

The peculiarity of crystals is that they are not made from ordinary glass, as many people think. The basis for rhinestones is unique, high-quality crystal. Its recipe is kept secret, and it was invented by the same Daniel Swarovski together with his sons. It is only known that the composition includes quartz sand, soda, potash and red lead. As a result, the crystal turns out to be completely transparent.

Daniel also came up with a special cut for the stones - 7 narrow and the same number of wide edges.A silver-mirror substrate is applied to the lower part of the product. Thanks to it, the shine of the stones increases. And the play of light, close to a diamond, is obtained due to the addition of sulfur oxide to the crystal composition.

REFERENCE! The name “rhinestones” comes from the name of the 18th century jeweler Georges Strass. He became famous for his ability to skillfully counterfeit diamonds.

In the 50s of the last century, Daniel's grandson created colored crystals that repeat the palette of 12 popular gems. Every genuine crystal larger than 12mm is laser engraved with STRASS®. The exception is deep black rhinestones and anything smaller than 12 mm. The engraving on them can only be seen under a microscope.

Where are they used?

Swarovski crystals are used in jewelry and costume jewelry. They make paintings and inlay decorative figures. You can often find an evening or wedding dress with Swarovski crystals. Dresses for ballroom and sports dancing are also decorated with legendary crystals. They are also used to decorate sports suits - figure skating, gymnastics and more.