Everything you need to know about Swarovski crystals
Everything you need to know about Swarovski crystals
Swarovski crystals have been winning the hearts of women since the end of the 19th century. Despite the fact that we meet Swarovski crystals every day, we are not always able to understand their value. That is why in this article we will try to bring you closer to this topic and explain what these popular crystals really are.
Company history
The history of Swarovski dates back to 1862 in northern Bohemia. It was then that Daniel Swarovski was born. His father was a craftsman who ran his own grinding shop specializing in cutting glass. His father’s trade had a direct impact on young Daniel’s life. It was in his father’s workshop that Daniel Swarovski learned about this profession, and at the age of 30 he patented the first electric glass cutting machine. Three years after this event, Swarovski’s Austrian brother-in-law offers him to set up a company, and it was the consequences of this decision that turned the jewelry world upside down. Why have Swarovski crystals become so popular?
Company secret
The whole secret of the company lies in a special grinding method, which is closely guarded to this day, and the company, despite so many years on the market and global success, has still remained a family business. However, in addition to the closely guarded method of stone processing, two more breakthrough moments deserve attention. The first one took place in 1956 and was called “Aurora Borealis”. This method was created especially for the Christian Dior Fashion House and consisted in covering the bottom of the diamonds with a very thin layer of metal, thanks to which they took on a rainbow glow. More than 60 years have passed since the creation of this solution, and it is still eagerly used by designers.
The second “milestone” for Swarovski was the creation of Cubic Zirconia in 1977. This invention even enraged the current jewelry world. The popular zircons were a great imitation of diamonds, and thanks to the low price, everyone could afford them.
Are Swarovski crystals real?
Swarovski products are made of lead glass. It is a special variety of glass that contains a bit of lead, thanks to which the material becomes more plastic, and the refractive index and dispersion are significantly improved. However, it must be remembered that although Swarovski crystals shine beautifully and reflect light, they are not real diamonds – which has its pros and cons.
Thanks to the fact that Swarovski crystals are a beautiful imitation of real crystals, they can be beautiful additions to jewelry or wardrobe, while keeping the price of the product at an affordable level.
The second big advantage of Swarovski crystals is their weight. Diamonds are much lighter than real diamonds, so you can create fancy ornaments and decorations from them (for example, chandeliers) without worrying about whether the whole structure will withstand.
What else distinguishes Swarovski products from real diamonds besides price and weight? A very subtle difference will be the sound the original crystal makes when struck. With Swarovski crystals, the sound will be shallower and shorter than real crystal.
Where can I find Swarovski crystals?
Usually, we are used to the fact that Swarovski crystals are used to decorate clothing, jewelry or other items. However, not everyone is aware that the Swarovski company also creates exclusive glass decorations, and there is a Crystal Amusement Park near Wattens. The Swarovski Kristallwelten Resort, opened in 1995 on the occasion of the company’s 100th anniversary, has so far been visited by over 12 million guests from around the world.