Swarovski stones are one of the most valuable rhinestones, which are unique for their unsurpassed quality of processing, cutting and polishing. Not everyone knows how Swarovski rhinestones differ from ordinary rhinestones. This, and not only this, encourages imitators to create stone substitutes without spending a lot of money on equipment. Similar crystals are sold at inflated prices, and the buyer remains deceived.
How to avoid falling for the tricks of imitators? How to distinguish Swarovski stones from their fake counterparts?
There are several important nuances that you should pay attention to when purchasing products with Swarovski crystals. We will also tell you what characteristics distinguish Swarovski rhinestones from completely ordinary, simple rhinestones. But now, in order.
How to distinguish Swarovski rhinestones from ordinary ones
Compared to simple ones, Swarovski crystals stand out due to a number of characteristics. Crystals are endowed with such features due to the unique technology of their manufacture. The whole scheme is classified, but some facts still became known to people:
- Fourteen faces. Ordinary rhinestones have 12. Swarovski's number of facets ensures the stones shine, since the reflection of light is increased by 13 percent for this reason;
- No defects in real stones such as Swarovski rhinestones. You already know what these miracle stones are made of. But this does not play as much of a role in their uniqueness as the high-quality processing of each crystal. By polishing, the edges become perfectly even. Even those errors that a person would never see with the naked eye are excluded!;
- The presence of a silver backing on the back of the stone. It plays the role of an amplifier for the play of light.
If you do not buy a finished product, but Swarovski rhinestones separately, then to work with them you will also need reliable glue. It must be special. You can buy such adhesive compositions in the Lucita online store. Adhesives from specialized stores allow you to work with different materials (fabric, metal, wood, plastic, etc.) without staining the surface. After all, very little glue is needed to securely attach a rhinestone, even one as valuable as Swarovski.
Real Swarovski and fakes
Swarovski crystals are produced in specially designed packs with several degrees of protection:
- their-code
- Individual identification number
- Holographic relief CRYSTALLIZED WITH SWAROVSKI lettering
- Logo (swan on a blue background)
- Holographic embossed logo sticker on the back.
- Each pack is sealed, and to open it you need to tear off the perforated strip on the back.
If the seller does not have Swarovski branded factory packaging, if glass dust and debris are mixed with the stones, if stones of different colors and sizes are found in one package, this is not Swarovski, but a fake. Such stones quickly peel off, fall off the substrate, etc.
Swarovski crystals are distinguished by:
- clear and even cut, without chips or unpolished areas;
- standard forms;
- bright shine, no cloudiness;
- purity of color, absolutely identical for all stones in one pack;
- smooth, durable coating of mirror coating.
Counterfeit Swarovski crystals.
In addition to obvious defects, fakes also have hidden ones. For example, low-quality stones begin to fall off the substrate, quickly lose their shine, and peel off. The easiest way to determine the origin of rhinestones is by general signs: if the seller does not have original Swarovski packaging, if glass dust and small debris are mixed with the stones, if stones of different colors and sizes are found in the same package - all this indicates that the rhinestones arrived in this the outlet is by no means from an Austrian factory.
Common signs of fakes:
- the side edges are not sanded;
- unusually small top edge;
- No shine;
- unusually large top edge and small side edges;
- chips are visible.
Differences from fakes
Crystal is not a precious stone, but processing makes it expensive. Many fakes do not stand the test of time, and only real crystals will retain their brightness for a long time. At first glance, it can be difficult to distinguish a fake, but there are some nuances that are present in genuine products:
- products are always packaged in special boxes with a logo;
- the cut of the stones is perfectly even, some of their edges are wider, others are narrower, but the angles always coincide;
- the color of colored stones is uniform;
- There are no cracks or chips on the crystals.
You also need to pay attention to the price of the product. It cannot be suspiciously low, because the company follows a certain pricing policy , and if it reduces the price, it does so as part of its Swarovski Outlet program
The fashion, jewelry and accessories industries use a trademark for seamless crystals labeled Swarovski Elements. This means that original crystals are used in products from other manufacturers.
The label, marked "Made with Swarovski Elements", indicates the partial presence of natural crystals from Swarovski.
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Creation of a museum
For the company's centenary (in 1995), a unique Swarovski Museum was built. It is located near Innsbruck. The main entrance to the museum is made in the shape of a giant's head. The giant's eyes are made of huge green Swarovski crystals, and water flows continuously from his mouth. This place is a true worship of crystal. Everything here sparkles, sparkles and amazes the imagination. The museum's galleries are an underground labyrinth consisting of fifteen halls. One of these halls is the largest boutique of this brand in the world.
Swarovski in the fashion industry
Swarovski crystals have long been used by world famous people, brands and fashion houses. So in the mid-50s, Christian Dior, who noted the quality of crystals, invited Swarovski to develop his own collection of jewelry. As a result of this collaboration, the Fireball and Drifting Emerald crystals were created.
The famous Marilyn Monroe in 1961 asked fashion designer Jean Louis to create an exclusive dress in which she was to perform at the birthday party of US President John F. Kennedy. Marilyn appeared on stage in a thin transparent dress studded with six thousand rhinestones.
In the 80s, the stage costumes of such world stars as Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and Bryan Ferry were also decorated with Swarovski crystals.
In 2009, the company's jewelers created a huge star for the New York Christmas tree. This decoration weighed 250 kilograms and contained 25 thousand crystal plates.
In 2011, BlingMyThing presented a luxury MiniCooper car, the roof of which was strewn with 300 thousand Swarovski crystals, which were laid out in the shape of the British flag, for the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
In 2013, during Rihanna's world tour, which was called Diamonds, the singer's stage outfits were richly decorated with Swarovski crystals.
How to use and how to attach?
Rhinestones are used to make necklaces, earrings, and decorate an elegant dress or blouse collar with iridescent stones.
- Swarovski crystals should be attached with special glue.
- Stones with a self-adhesive base are preheated.
- Before gluing, the surface is degreased; it is advisable to apply the rhinestones to the fabric using tweezers; it is convenient to adjust the accuracy of the placement of the elements using the tip of a toothpick.
In the same way, crystals are attached to nails when performing a manicure. When using Swarovski stones for makeup, it is best to apply them to the eyeliner line, eyelash extensions, and the lower eyelid over eye shadow.
It is necessary to choose a hypoallergenic cosmetic adhesive intended for use on the body. If your facial skin is not ideal, choose crystals with delicate colors and less bright shine.
First, using a cotton swab, apply a drop of adhesive to the future location of the rhinestone, then apply the pebble itself to it with tweezers. Hold it for 15 seconds with your finger. After a minute, when the glue has hardened, proceed to fixing the next crystal.
Types of Swarovski design
For example, a logo made of Swarovski rhinestones on glass looks great. These can be any products: glasses and vases, paintings, glass tablets, mirror panels and mirrors, pen holders, business accessories, any utensils.
The interior of any office, especially a representative office, greatly benefits from the presence of glass signs with signs and names of premises, and the company logo. Crystals sparkle incredibly in artificial light and create a bright, sparkling, chic atmosphere.
Transparent crystals that look like small diamonds look especially impressive on cell phones, digital equipment, metal business card holders, cigarette cases, interior items, personal use, gifts, and car accessories.
Ensures the effectiveness of Swarovski crystals on clothing, bags and accessories. The most common way of applying personal or corporate symbols to any item. Crystals, like nothing better, attract attention to clothes, decorate them and emphasize the expensiveness of the company's style.
Imitation Swarovski
When the economic boom began in the 20th century, Swarovski could not meet the rapidly growing demand, and therefore a large number of competitors appeared, mainly from Southeast Asia. It should be noted that Swarovski products are protected by patents; rhinestones from other manufacturers are significantly inferior in quality, but this difference is very well compensated by the cost, which is several times lower, which makes these crystals accessible to absolutely all consumers. Let's consider the main suppliers of Swarovski imitation presented on our market.
Preciosa (Czech Republic)
The Czech tradition of glass and crystal production has long been known throughout the world. High-quality rhinestones, imitation Swarovski, are produced by Preciosa. The presence of 12 facets on the crystals of the MC Chaton Rose VIVA12 series provides excellent light reflection, and MC means that all the edges are polished, like Swarovski. Additional shine is provided by AB (Aurore Boreale) coating - a new product that also helps to preserve the base color well.
Asfour (Egypt)
Asfour is one of the largest crystal manufacturers in the world. High quality rhinestones with a lead content of 31.8% - this greatly improves the reflective characteristics.
DMC Rhinestones
A separate segment of the market is DMC rhinestones. These products differ in their manufacturing method; the abbreviation Digital Machine Cut means that digital machine cutting of crystals is carried out. In terms of their quality characteristics, they are no different from other analogues. The most famous representatives are TM “Crystalline” (Hong Kong), TM “Stone Couture” (Korea).
Just a little history
At the end of the 19th century, a native of the Czech Republic, Daniel Swarovski, came up with a method of incredibly high-quality, for that time, crystal cutting. In addition, he created a machine that carried out this process mechanized and very effectively in practice.
The starting point for success can be considered 1895, when in the small Austrian village of Wattens, an enterprise was opened for the production of faceted rock crystal, the only high-quality imitation of precious stones in the world. The triumph of the new product was so stunning that there was a shortage of raw materials. This led to the need to replace natural crystal with an artificial analogue.
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The solution to the problem came in 1911 - transparent crystal was obtained, its characteristics not inferior to the best natural samples. From then to the present day, Swarovski crystals have been the standard of quality that all rhinestone manufacturers follow.
Types of stones
Swarovski crystals represent all kinds of stones in different shapes and colors. Gems are produced under special brands and lines. The main ones:
- Swarovski rhinestones in the form of tiny jewelry-cut crystals, decorating clothes, furniture, and interior items;
- Swarovski crystal beads, often presented in the form of faceted drops in various colors;
- Swarovski pearls with a perfect matte finish, gracefully shimmering mother-of-pearl;
- adhesive cold-fix rhinestones used in manicure and hot-fix thermal rhinestones for clothing;
- cubic zirconia with high refractive indices, hardness and dispersion;
- Swarovski topaz, created from a natural mineral by proprietary cutting.
Each variety can have any shade, because almost all stones are synthesized using an artificial method.
Suit with Swarovski crystals Swarovski crystal Swarovski beads Swarovski pearls Swarovski adhesive rhinestones Swarovski cubic zirconia Swarovski topazes
Jewelry with Swarovski crystals
As a rule, rhinestones are used in the manufacture of costume jewelry, but there are also jewelry inlaid with Swarovski stones. Skillful cutting and exclusive design give these jewelry a sophisticated look, allowing you to effectively complement an evening outfit.
Thanks to the variety of sets with rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, brooches, pendants, you can easily choose products with Swarovski crystals for any style of clothing.
Jewelry with Swarovski stones
Rhinestones are widely used in the manufacture of men's cufflinks, tie clips, and wallets. As a decorative element, they are in demand for finishing clothes, shoes, bags, lighters, telephones, furniture, and chandeliers. As an addition to a festive dress or stage costume, Swarovski crystals are often used to create makeup and manicure.
Features of caring for Swarovski crystals
Rhinestones must be protected from contact with water, chemically active substances, cosmetics, and perfumes. To store your items, select a special case or fabric cover to prevent damage to the crystal when it comes into contact with hard objects. If the stones become dirty, place them in a soapy solution and clean them with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
To dry and polish Swarovski crystals, use dry cloths with a smooth, lint-free surface. It is better to carry out this operation with rubber gloves, since after touching your fingers, fingerprints remain on the edges of the stones.
It is recommended to remove products with rhinestones before water procedures and household work (washing dishes or floors). Following simple care rules will allow you to enjoy wearing your favorite jewelry longer.
Swarovski crystals, of course, will never compete with diamonds. But products from a well-known brand still look great and almost everyone can afford them. It also warms the soul that “Swarovski” does not bother even the stars.
Sources
- https://FB.ru/article/135074/kristallyi-svarovski—chto-eto-iz-chego-delayut-kristallyi-svarovski
- https://svetno.ru/vse-o-swarovski.html
- https://zakamnem.ru/vidy/kristally-svarovski
- https://grammzolota.ru/ukrasheniya/kristally-svarovski-istoriya-brenda-sostav.html
- https://www.AllTime.ru/blog/?page=post&blog=watchblog&post_id=pochemu-tak-silno-siyayut-kristally-swarovski-i-kto-podaril-ikh-miru
- https://DedPodaril.com/yuvelirka/kamni/unikalnye-osobennosti-kristallov-svarovski.html
- https://zen.yandex.ru/media/dragzoloto/kak-otlichit-originalnye-kristally-swarovski-ot-imitacii-5e10744ae6cb9b00ad1e1ac4
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