History of Vintage Austrian Crystals

Crystal bead

"Austrian crystals" is another term for special decorative crystal beads. The basic technology to craft these beads has existed for centuries and some of those ancient craftsmen have indeed created remarkable products. But it is the technological advancements credited to famous personalities such as George Ravenscroft and Daniel Swarovski that were truly able to revolutionize the industry in the past.

Ancient Origins

Human expertise with crystal work has ancient roots. As early as the 3rd century B.C., the regions of what was called Bohemia (now Czechoslovakia) were known for glass beads, bracelets and other glassware. The region has had a long history of interaction with Celtic tribes, who were experts at working with glass and crystal, and modern archaeologists have frequently found such materials when excavating ancient sites. In addition, even in those times, the region had enough of the necessary natural resources---silica and wood to heat glass ovens and refine ash in potash form---to stimulate the formation of a local crystal and glass industry.

Austrian Domination

In 1526, Bohemia formally fell under the sway of the Austro-Hungarian Empire when Ferdinand of Austria became King of Bohemia and the Bohemian glass making tradition began to develop as a separate entity. However, other nations also began to develop their own glass industries, including Venice and England.

Lead Content

A major breakthrough in technology involved the development of a new process that refined the crystal-making process. This innovation is credited to English inventor and entrepreneur George Ravenscroft. In 1673, using lead instead of calcium, he was able to greatly enhance the appearance and the quality of crystal, making it far more dazzling than ever before---an advancement that was enthusiastically picked up by crystal-bead makers.

Manual Process

Up to that point, the various improvements and increases in skill notwithstanding, the development of crystal beads was hampered by the fact that they were ground out by hand. Creating these crystals was a painstaking, time-consuming process that left little room for error. Despite their undeniable skill and expertise, even top crystal artisans could only achieve a certain level of precision when crafting these crystals. As a consequence, the crystal-creation process was necessarily slow and products could not be uniformly perfect.

Cutting Machines

A young man by the name of Daniel Swarovski is credited with another true advancement. The son of a crystal-maker and an apprentice crystal craftsman himself, he worked to develop an automatic crystal-cutting machine. In 1892, he revealed his machine to the world---a groundbreaking device that could churn out crystal beads to far higher standards and at a much faster rate than any expert craftsman could. Having patented his machine, Swarovski then proceeded to set up a factory in Wattens, Austria, in 1895. The company he founded and which bears his name is known as one of the leading firms in today's Austrian crystal market, having had a pivotal role in the history of crystal making.

References

• About Austria: History of Swarovski Crystal and Swarovski Jewelry