About Rhinestones & Swarovski Designs

Rhinestones look like gems, but are actually glass imitations.

Rhinestones sparkle, glitter and try to fool the eye into believing that they are real gemstones--not glass imitations. While rhinestones enjoy a long history, dating back to 13th and 14th century Bohemia, it was the advent of Daniel Swarovski's mechanized manufacturing process in the 19th century that changed the way rhinestones would be viewed and used. Today, Swarovski remains a family-owned and -operated company whose products continue to influence design.

Rhinestone Background

Rhinestones are made from leaded glass.

Rhinestones are man-made imitation gemstones, created from highly reflective leaded glass. Their sparkle is amplified through the application of an opaque coating--typically metallic gold or silver. In her book "Vintage Jewelry," Leigh Leshner explains that the name "rhinestone" came from the colored quartz stones once found in the Rhine River in Austria. As this supply of quartz was gradually exhausted, artificial glass stones began to appear. Originally, these creations were cut and finished by hand, making them highly labor intensive.

The Swarovski Revolution

In 1892, Swarovski invented the first machine that could mechanically cut facets on glass. This invention, as Leshner notes, "revolutionized the jewelry business," reducing labor costs and time, and increasing precision in the gemstones produced. Swarovski also increased the lead content in the glass to more than 30 percent, and created vacuum plating for the metallic backing on the stones. These innovations led to rhinestones' "new levels of brilliance, consistency and precision," according to Swarovski. Today, Leshner estimates, more than 85 percent of U.S. jewelry companies use Swarovski stones.

Swarovski Design and Fashion

Swarovski and Dior's Aurora Borealis was named for the northern lights.

Swarovski continued to impact the fashion industry. His ready-to-use ribbons with sewn-on crystals (1931), gave manufacturers new design options. In 1956, Swarovski's grandson Manfred collaborated with French designer Christian Dior to invent the famous Aurora Borealis rhinestone, named after the Northern Lights. In 1993, Swarovski developed crystal mesh, described by the company as a "unique fabric made ... of tightly woven crystals" and used by designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. 2003 brought crystal fabric, displaying "more than a million crystals per square metre [and] used in countless different designs, from jewelry and accessories to figurines and textiles" according to Swarovski.

Swarovski Design Beyond Fashion

Swarovski design extends beyond the world of fashion. The Silver Crystal Mouse figurine became the symbol of the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria. Its creation led to a series of figurines, called by FundingUniverse "one of the world's most sought-after collector's series." Swarovski also expanded its influence to lighting fixtures (its crystal chandeliers hang in the Palace at Versailles and the Metropolitan Opera in New York) and home accessories, such as pens, picture frames, candleholders and vases.

Swarovski Design into the Future

Swarovski declares its defining principle to be, "What is good now is still to be improved." For the future, the company declares that it is not only continuing its connection to the world of fashion, but is "exploring the endless possibilities of crystal, investigating new markets, and inventing new applications, such as crystal for packaging and paper." Even electronics and cars are within its sights. As FundingUniverse notes, "the Swarovski name [is] poised to provide glitter for a new century."

References

• "Vintage Jewelry;" Leigh Leshner; 2002
• Swarovski: The Poetry of Precision
• FundingUniverse: Swarovski International Holding AG
• Swarovski: The Story
• Swarovski: Our Evolution