Swarovski crystals: brand history, composition, how to spot a fake

Crystal Swarovski: YouTube/Swarovski The beauty Marilyn Monroe sang that a girl's best friend is diamonds. But at that very moment the diva was wearing jewelry not with precious stones, but with Swarovski crystals. In addition to the famous blonde, Audrey Hepburn, Sarah Jessica Parker and Penelope Cruz became fans of the brand. What is the secret of the famous costume jewelry?

Brand history

Daniel Swarovski was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1862. His homeland is the mountains of Bohemia. The area has long been known for its high quality glass.

The founder of the company, Austrian Daniel Swarovski, was born into a family of hereditary cutters, so he knew about the features of the material from which his future famous rhinestones would be made from the cradle.

Daniel's father was an entrepreneur and owned a small glass workshop. Swarovski himself worked in his father’s production. They say that he was a man of art and dreamed of becoming a musician. However, after working as an apprentice in his father’s workshop, he decided to go to Paris and study as an engineer.

In 1889, Daniel visited the World Exhibition in Paris, where he became acquainted with the work of the first electric cutting machines. What he saw impressed Swarovsky so much that in 1892 he invented his own machine. The uniqueness of the new cutting machine was that it could process even small stones and achieve a perfect diamond cut. This event marked the beginning of the path to the Swarovski empire.

The new device made it possible to increase the speed and quality of processing stone edges. Then began many years of development associated with the family's move from Bohemia to Austria and attempts to survive in the difficult conditions of two world wars. Despite the difficulties, the company has always worked, combining the production of jewelry stones with the creation of optical sights, binoculars, and night vision devices for military needs.

Three years after automating production, Swarovski improved the glass melting technique so much that he was able to obtain stones as clear as water, without cloudy inclusions. This is because Daniel managed to develop a special formula, which consisted of 32% lead oxide. He proved to the world that skillful jewelry can be made from the most ordinary materials.

Since then, people have lined up for the brand's products, and they have become incredibly popular among jewelry fans. They also decorate clothes, shoes, bags and more. Thus, 500 thousand rhinestones were used for the wedding dress of Victoria, the heiress of the empire: the outfit weighed 46 kg!

To make his creations more recognizable, Daniel decided to mark them with his signature logo. At first it was an image of an edelweiss flower (as a symbol of the Alpine mountains). In 1988 it was replaced by a swan as a symbol of sophistication, purity and grace.

Swarovski crystals: what they are and how they became popular

Contrary to its “folk” name, Swarovski is not stones or crystals. This is synthetic crystal, to which many other elements have been added and processed in a special proprietary way. They began to be called crystals thanks to the original name of the company Swarovski Crystal, which actually translates as “crystal”.

It is almost impossible to visually distinguish Swarovski stones from real diamonds. At the same time, the cost is much lower than that of real jewelry, but incomparable with all other costume jewelry. However, this was not always the case. Here are the interesting details:

Brand history

The company's founder, Daniel Swarovski, was born into a poor family of a crystal cutter. At that time, glass was processed only by hand, so the work was hard and not very profitable.

At the end of the 19th century, Daniel attended an exhibition of engineer Edison's machines and was so inspired that he came up with an automatic electric machine for processing crystal. The result was an exact copy of the diamond. It was put into mass production, and soon Daniel founded his own company.

Half a century later, Swarovski's grandson Manfred developed the technology for producing colored crystals. Famous designers Christian Dior, Paco Rabanne, Yves Saint Laurent and others paid attention to them. Not only accessories, but also clothes, shoes and even cars began to be decorated with stones.

Thanks to Swarovski stones, the attitude towards costume jewelry has changed forever. It was worn by first-tier stars. Marilyn Monroe made a special contribution to the success of the brand:

• She first appeared wearing jewelry with Swarovski stones in the film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” in which she sang the famous line “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”
• Her appearance at John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday became iconic, where the diva congratulated the president with the song “Happy Birthday Mr. President." She wore a dress embroidered with 6,000 Swarovski crystals, after which everyone began to dream about them.

By the 21st century, the brand had finally won the hearts of world stars and ordinary customers. All top celebrities have used crystals in their looks at least once - from Sarah Jessica Parker to Kylie Jenner.

How to spot a fake

Swarovski crystals, conceived as an affordable copy of diamonds, have themselves become victims of counterfeits. As soon as the stones won the hearts of fashionistas and rose in price, many copies appeared on the market. But no one has managed to achieve the same quality and impeccable appearance.

You can distinguish an original decoration by several characteristics:

1. The crystals are sold in a branded box with a logo - an image of a swan. It should have a hologram indicating the article number, quantity and color of stones.
2. If they are inlaid into jewelry, it comes with a corresponding certificate, and the Swarovski brand is mentioned on the tag.
3. The country of origin of genuine crystals is Austria.
4. Each stone has exactly 14 facets without the slightest defect.
5. There should be no chips or cuts on the surface. The crystal itself is perfectly clean, without clouding or streaks, and the color is uniform. Also make sure there are no air bubbles inside.

There will be no doubt about the authenticity of the stones if you buy them in brand stores or from official dealers.

Swarovski Crystals: Piqsels

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 zirconias

Swarovski Topazes

Swarovski design types:

On glass

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.

On metal and plastic

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.

On fabric and leather

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.

Manufactured products

For the middle class of consumers, the Swarovski company produces jewelry with inexpensive but impressively sparkling crystals. Products for the home are popular in the market. These are elegant chandeliers with pendants, original lamps, furniture in combinations of leather, wood and stones.

Souvenir products also deserve attention, for example, decorative crystal figurines, where there is a variety of colors, modern effects with the play of rays and a variety of coatings. Also in use are exclusive buttons for designer items, adhesive and sew-on rhinestones, and beads for decorating clothes and shoes.

Assortment of precious stones

One of the company's activities is the cutting of precious stones. And if the head office is located in the Austrian city of Wattens, then the production facilities for processing expensive crystals are concentrated in Schwaz (Tyrolian lands). This subsidiary of Swarovski has been established since 1950.

Among the running stones that are subjected to special cutting:

• sapphire;
• topaz;
• amethyst;
• citrine.

These are the most common gemstones that craftsmen work with. Moreover, both natural stones and synthetic crystals are processed.

Synthetic leaders

Among artificial ones, the leading positions are occupied by:

• zirconium (in Russia called cubic zirconia);
• synthetic spinel and topaz;
• corundum (French rose);
• alpinite (potassium-calcium glass with aluminosilicates, created by Swarovski).

These stones also use high-precision cutting, which was previously used only for diamonds. Swarovski masters were the first to try this method on artificial crystals and obtained excellent results.

It all starts with color

For example, consider the processing of synthetic topaz. Let us immediately note that topaz grown by Swarovski is a natural stone in all respects; it simply grew under human control. Therefore, everything that happens to it during subsequent processing also applies to any natural mineral.

The initial color of synthetic topaz is white (colorless). The stone is painted using special pigments. The technology is kept secret.

Personnel turnover in production is reduced to zero, which is why the secret of processing Swarovski stones has not yet spread beyond the company. Only the number of shades is known - there are 20 of them, which gives masters room for imagination when creating color compositions.

Cut markings

Swarovski stones are cut using high-precision equipment. This is know-how that allows you to cut very small crystals. The shapes remain traditional diamond. In addition to classic ovals, circles and rectangles, awnings and drops are made.

For each stone that has received such treatment, the Swarovski inscription is placed on the site using a laser. Topaz with similar markings can be found in any country.

Bluestone is usually framed in silver or other white metal. Pink Swarovski crystals look good in gold.

Where does the glow come from?

The brilliant shine of Swarovski crystals, similar to diamonds, is created by adding lead oxide to the composition. The resulting stones are flawless in appearance. They have won the hearts of jewelry lovers and few people think about the fact that a special sparkle is created by applying foil coating on the inside.

The main thing is that the result exceeded all the expectations of both chemists and connoisseurs of the precious radiance of stones. And now Swarovski “diamonds” have become available even to those fashionistas who belong to the middle class in terms of financial wealth.

Swarovski specialists achieve visible optical effects in stone through color, unusual cutting techniques, and variations in shapes and sizes.

Effects

To create an iridescent shine on a polished crystal, a coating is applied, which is abbreviated as AB. These two Latin letters encrypt the name “Aurora’s radiance”. After all, Aurora was considered the goddess of the dawn by the ancient Latins. She brought daylight. But, according to Roman mythology, all the stars in the sky came from her.

Metallic effects are called Aurum - imitates gold and Silver, giving the shine of silver. Swarovski craftsmen have more than 80 color shades and almost 30 different shine options.

Recently, the number of possible cuts of stones has also increased. Swarovski rhinestones called Xirius are introduced to the jewelry world. They have 17 facets and glow like real stars.

A little history

Swarovski, an unsuccessful violinist who dreamed of fame, did receive recognition, but in a completely different area, far from music. Musicians, whether they realize it or not, always have an aptitude for the exact sciences. Musical harmonies are built on strict mathematical principles. Music, the “mysterious arithmetic of the soul” (Leibniz), may have helped Swarovski create a miracle machine for processing crystal. And then the recipe for a special lead glass, which subsequently conquered the world. Why do we call a stone created by Swarovski a crystal? By consonance, most likely. The German word Kristall and the English word Crystal are translated into Russian as crystal.

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.

Significant exhibits of the museum are the largest Swarovski crystal of 310 thousand carats, which reaches 40 centimeters in diameter and weighs 62 kilograms, as well as the smallest crystal with a diameter of only 0.8 millimeters. Both crystals are included in the Guinness World Records.

Uniqueness of crystals

The brand’s crystals are distinguished by the sharpest and most polished edges; they are free of any defects: chips or cloudiness. On the inside of the walls of the rhinestones there is a silver-mirror backing, thanks to which the shine of the stones is enhanced. The maximum play of light is achieved by adding sulfur oxide to the crystal.

The main highlight and feature of rhinestones is the material itself: absolutely transparent and high-quality crystal. It contains potash, soda, quartz sand and red lead . They are mixed in special proportions. The creator of the brand personally developed a method for producing the crystal from which Swarovski crystals are made. What kind of recipe this is is still unknown, as it is kept in the strictest confidence. Such secrecy around production is quite understandable. After all, the secret of creating the famous crystal is the key to the uniqueness, originality and capital of this honorable brand.

Crystal and natural crystal

What is the difference between natural crystal and crystal? The answer will be sent to a school chemistry textbook or a geology textbook. In crystals, atoms are arranged in the strictest geometric patterns. This determines their optical properties - transparency, shine.

Just crystal, which was created by Swarovski, is a stone, or rather an amorphous stone, without a crystalline structure. It has exceptional shine and transparency due to its composition. Swarovski crystal, as a work of human hands, is almost flawless. There are no air inclusions in the original products, those that should be called “Swarovski stones”. This is very difficult to achieve

What makes Swarovski crystals unique?

Rhinestones are made from a special type of high-quality crystal, the production technology of which was developed by company representatives and is kept in the strictest confidence. It is known that the recipe for its preparation includes more than 70 ingredients, and its components such as lead and sulfur oxides make the material exceptionally transparent and enhance the shine of the crystals.

The delightful play of light in Swarovski stones is achieved thanks to the high quality of their cutting. There can be from 12 to 17 edges in rhinestones, they have different widths: narrow ones alternate with wide ones. A thin layer of silver mirror substrate is applied to the surfaces at the bottom of the rhinestones on the inside, which prevents the scattering of light rays and increases the brightness of the shine. Treating the edges with an antistatic agent prevents dust from settling.

Strict control of manufactured products eliminates the presence of defects: all products with the smallest defects are sent for re-processing. New developments and improvements are constantly being introduced. In recent years, the production of colored Swarovski crystals has been launched, the color of which corresponds to 12 types of precious stones.

How to care for Swarovski crystal?

Crystal products are not difficult to care for. And, if you follow the rules, they will serve you for many years without losing their shine and attractiveness.

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How to care for Swarovski crystal:

Avoid contact of the crystals with hot or cold water; sudden temperature changes will cause the product to crack. Store Swarovski in an individual box where light and dust do not penetrate. Remove jewelry when cleaning the house or washing dishes; some chemicals contain elements that destroy lead. Make sure that eau de toilette, perfume, and decorative cosmetics do not come into contact with the stones. Take off your jewelry if you go to the gym or are going to carry heavy things, you may accidentally damage the stones. No additional measures are required to clean and shine real Swarovski crystals.

Knowing what Swarovski products are made of, you can easily distinguish the original from the fake and provide the products with proper care.

Swarovski crystal making technique

The company keeps the method of manufacturing its products in the strictest confidence. What are these natural diamond analogues made of? Initially, the stones, mesmerizing with their beauty, were made from lead oxide. However, in 2012, the company managed to create a special chemical formula that excludes the presence of this element in its products, which, due to its toxic properties, does not benefit the human body.

The 16-sided processing gives the crystals incredible shine. Thanks to particularly careful grinding, a perfectly smooth surface and clear corners of the stones are achieved. After this procedure, the products are necessarily checked for chips and scratches, and if even the slightest defects are detected, they are rejected.

During the production process, the company uses a special coating. With its help, incredibly beautiful shimmer, light smokiness or a certain shade are achieved on the surface of products. In addition, by covering the stones with a special composition, the manufacturer prevents loss of shine, as well as the negative effects of dust and other contaminants throughout the entire service life.

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.

1. Swarovski crystals should be attached with special glue.
2. Stones with a self-adhesive base are preheated.
3. 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.

What are Swarovski crystals made from?

The basis of Swarovski crystals is lead crystal. Its chemical composition is close to the structure of rock crystal. There are several ways to produce synthesized stones:

1. The primary material is melted and placed in special conditions so that the melt can crystallize. Later it is divided into individual gems. Most often, the method is used in the manufacture of cubic zirconia.
2. Cooling of a special solution, on which crystals later begin to grow.
3. Imitation of natural conditions under which gemstones are formed. Exposure of the material to high temperatures and significant pressure. The most common method in creating simulated diamonds, cubic zirconia.

After production, the gems are sent for processing, where they acquire their special optical properties. The treatment is carried out using current. After this, a special silver coating is applied to each edge.

Features of crystal care

Jewelry is not durable. They are susceptible to external factors and fragile. Therefore, you need to follow some rules in caring for gems:

1. Do not use abrasives when cleaning stones. To avoid damaging the mirror coating, use a soap solution and soft brushes or cloth. Wear rubber gloves when handling large stones to avoid leaving marks.
2. Periodically polish the stone with soft cloths or cotton cloth.
3. Avoid contact with water, household chemicals, cosmetics, and perfumes on the surface of stones.
4. Store in a separate bag from other stones to avoid scratching the gems.

How to distinguish real crystals from fakes?

You can distinguish Swarovski products from fakes primarily by cost. How much do rhinestones cost? Their price depends on many factors, for example, size, color, cut. However, in any case, these products cannot be cheap.

In addition, you can distinguish a fake from an original by a number of signs:

1. Package. The original product is sold only in the original box, which has an embossed silver company logo in the shape of a swan and a barcode. In addition, information about the article, color and quantity of the product must be indicated.
2. Manufacturer. The country of origin must indicate Austria on the packaging of original products. Information about other manufacturers is excluded.
3. Cut. A real crystal has perfectly smooth surfaces and clear corners. Mismatched lines, roughness, chips are signs of a fake.
4. Shine. The original product shines as brightly as a natural diamond. In the light it shimmers with rainbow highlights. Cloudiness, inhomogeneous shine, bubbles, and any inclusions are unacceptable.
5. Base. The mirror substrate should be applied to the stone in a thin, even layer. Any thickening indicates a fake.

In order not to stumble upon a fake, it is recommended to buy products of this brand in branded stores. You should carefully inspect the product before purchasing.

Some tips for buyers of Swarovski products

Of course, no one is immune from mistakes. But it is possible to protect yourself from counterfeiting. In this matter, the main thing is knowledge.

Never buy these products without the original packaging. This is a sure sign of a fake. Original Swarovski jewelry, as well as scattered crystals, are sold only in branded boxes with the brand logo - a swan.

Purchase products in the company's company centers, stores and boutiques.

Be sure to inspect the decoration. Original Swarovskis have an even and clear cut, no chips or cracks, side edges of different widths, bright shine, pure color and no clouding.

Advantages and disadvantages

Even though Swarovski crystals are made from regular crystal, the brand's advertising presents them as an affordable luxury. Man-made imitation diamonds and other precious stones can be used not only to make jewelry, but also to decorate wardrobe items, furniture, and various accessories. Talented design solutions allow you to create real works of art from simple glass.

The advantages of Swarovski crystals include:

• affordable price - things inlaid with rhinestones are much cheaper than those decorated with diamonds;
• high quality crystal (exceptional transparency, absence of clouding, uniform color, impeccable cut clarity) thanks to the use of the most modern technologies for production and processing of the material, as well as careful control of the finished products entering the retail chain;
• The products produced are distinguished by sophistication and grace, they are used in high fashion collections, they are worn with pleasure by pop artists and representatives of all walks of life.

Swarovski rhinestones also have their disadvantages:

• despite all their splendor, their brilliance is inferior to that of diamonds;
• the structure of crystal is more fragile compared to precious stones;
• The service life of products decorated with Swarovski crystals usually does not exceed 10 years.

Brand creation

Daniel Swarovski left Bohemia with his family in 1895 and moved to the small village of Wattens. Here he, together with his French partner, bought an empty factory and opened his own company, which was engaged in cutting stones and was called A. Kosmann, DanielSwarovski & Co. Five years later, he renamed the name of his production to Swarovski. Swarovski chose the edelweiss flower as its emblem.

The company's expertly cut and clear crystal was very similar to a diamond. And thanks to its low price, it has become widely popular among different segments of the population. Over time, representatives of high society began to order products with Swarovski crystals. Costume jewelry is no longer considered a sign of bad taste, but, on the contrary, has become fashionable in many elite houses in Europe.

Swarovski has been developing and designing stones throughout his life. His sons also helped him. Together they developed a formula for creating the highest quality and purest crystal.

Today the brand's signature emblem is the swan. This decision was made in 1988. The company's products include not only jewelry, but also paintings, figurines inlaid with crystals, and much more.

The magical world of Swarovski crystals

In addition to jewelry and costume jewelry, Swarovski produces sculptures, miniatures, chandeliers and all kinds of accessories.

Swarovski components - crystals (rhinestones), pendants, beads, crystal fabric and much more are widely used by craftsmen, designers, artists around the world to create jewelry, branded clothing and accessories. Swarovski crystals decorate mobile phones, laptops, interior items, bottles of collectible perfumes, fresh flowers and much more!

The products of the iconic brand are used in their work by the leading fashion houses of Italy and France - Roberto Cavalli, Givenchy, VivienneWestwood, etc.

The 80-year-old widow of John Lennon (leader of the Beatles) Yoko Ono has been successfully collaborating with Swarovski for almost half a century.

This story began back in 1966, when the fame of the Swarovski brand spread throughout the world. The piece of jewelry that the artist then designed is “The Key that Opens the Sky.” The collection was sold exclusively to serious art collectors.

These days, Yoko Ono shares her conceptual creativity with jewelry fans around the world! True, the collection is still limited, but it is already more accessible to buyers. The legendary artist designed the “Key that Opens the Forest” and “The Key that Opens the Universe” jewelry. The keys are encrusted with Swarovski crystals and are worn on an elegant silver chain.

The cost is quite affordable for a wide audience – from $250. The “keys” from Yoko Ono were so popular with the public that it is almost impossible to purchase them in Swarovski brand stores - limited edition and too many people wanting them! The exclusive collection is widely presented at international Fashion festivals and specialized exhibitions.

History of the jewelry house

The history of the company begins with a man named Daniel Swarovski. The inventive young man was a dreamer and knew how to bring his plans to life. He wanted to make diamonds accessible to everyone and developed a technology for producing crystals that were equally beautiful but cheaper.

It all started with a factory in the North of the Czech Republic. Daniel worked for his father, learning and gaining experience. A little later, he moved to Paris to acquire the necessary engineering skills and acquire qualifications.

When he turned 21, the young man visited Vienna at the Edison and Siemens exhibition. The technological progress reflected in the exhibits inspired Swarovski to make his own invention.

Already in 1892, Daniel registered the first patent. He invented the first glass processing machine. Cutting has become automated, which has increased production speed and reduced consumed resources.

In 1895, the engineer founded the first factory in Tyrol, an Australian region. Today, the company's branches are spread all over the world, and crystals are always popular.

Watch the radio broadcast on the history of the brand:

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.

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.

Cost of jewelry

The price of jewelry is determined by the size and number of stones, the absence or presence of gilding, and silver plating. Average prices for products:

• bracelets from 3,000 to 10,000 rubles;
• necklaces and pendants from 2000 to 5000 rubles;
• rings from 2000 to 10,000 rubles;
• earrings about 5000 rubles.

Swarovski crystals are high-quality imitation diamonds. They will help diversify your style, make it more refined and attractive.

What do you think about Swarovski crystals? Share your opinion in the comments and repost the article on social networks.

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.

Marilyn Monroe

Back in 1962, Marilyn Monroe showed the whole world how beautiful a dress skillfully embroidered with stones from the world famous brand can be. Everyone remembers her famous congratulations on the anniversary of US President John F. Kennedy, when the star sang her famous song “Happy bithday Mister President.” The actress took the stage at the Madison Square Garden concert hall in Los Angeles in a sparkling dress embroidered with Swarovski crystals.

Monroe was warned in advance that the outfit should be modest and not too provocative. The beautiful Marilyn found a way out of the situation: at her request, fashion designer Jean Louis created “an extraordinary dress that no one has ever had before.” The couturier more than complied with the star's request. He created something that perfectly harmonizes with Monroe’s image and strict dress code. The highlight of the outfit was not just the chic abundance of amazing crystals. The fact is that the “modest” dress almost completely demonstrated all the charms of the charming actress. As Jean Louis himself said: “Marilyn knew how to amazingly control her charming body, it was in constant motion, but it was done naturally, elegantly. And it dawned on me - I grabbed it, realized what I had to do - play with this gift of her to provoke... In general, I drew a sketch of a dress that creates the full effect that she is naked.”

Michael Jackson

One of the most passionate fans of Swarovski crystals was the King of Pop Michael Jackson.

Most of his stage costumes are decorated with Swarovski. During the idol’s triumphant return to the stage, over 300,000 Swarovski crystals were used to decorate the costumes and sets! According to the vice president and press secretary, these are genuine crystals of selected quality, which are undoubtedly worthy of the King of Pop.

Even after the death of Michael Jackson, his suits, studded with Swarovski crystals, continue to be in enormous demand among his multi-million army of fans. Stylish iconic items are sold at prestigious auctions for huge sums of money. One of these is the iconic velvet helmet of the pop idol, which is completely covered with large Swarovski crystals of the highest quality. It was literally torn off “with arms and legs” at a grandiose sale, and since then it has been resold many times. As they say, if you’re happy, pass it on to someone else. For true fans of the King of Pop, the details of his costumes are a real treasure. The shiny helmet still bears a label with the name “Michael Jackson” and even traces of his stage makeup. For such a thing, fans are really ready to give everything in the world. Fans literally pray for everything that once belonged to the artist.

Another iconic detail of Jackson’s stage costume is the gloves, completely strewn with Swarovski crystals. All of them are only for one hand and initially do not have a pair. The pop idol then publicly stated that “one glove is better than two.”

The world saw the black glove on Michael Jackson's hand in 1984, when he was awarded the American Music Awards for his most famous album, Thriller. This is how a seemingly ordinary thing turned into a cult. Jackson gave it to a terminally ill child. It later ended up at the Nate D. Sanders auction house and was sold for $200,000.

A white glove from the Victory tour, embroidered with Swarovski stones, was sold at the Julien auction for the same price. The most famous “diamond” glove of the King of Pop is the “Moonwalk” glove, which collectors around the world have been chasing for a long time, reselling it to each other for a lot of money. The last time it was officially bought for half a million dollars. This is said to be Jackson's only left stage glove, which makes the item even more valuable in the eyes of fans.

The same fate befell many other things and stage costumes of the King of Pop - they are still sold at auction for exorbitant sums.

Angelina Jolie

Surely Angelina Jolie was also inspired by Marilyn Monroe’s “diamond” dress, since there are similar outfits in her star wardrobe. One of them will probably forever remain in fashion history - a magnificent velor dress from Atelier Versace with a cape and a transparent top, literally sprinkled with small Swarovski crystals in a classic white color. Angelina Jolie wore this stunning outfit to the red carpet during her promotional tour for The Tourist in Madrid in 2011. Hundreds of tabloids in all parts of the world then talked about the Hollywood goddess who was truly royal.

Hollywood queen Angelina Jolie loves jewelry with Swarovski crystals. This is evidenced by numerous photo sessions with the star. Stones from the famous brand often sparkle in the frame.

Crystal clear crystal shines on Jolie in a variety of variations and forms, but most often it is used to decorate the star’s outfits. The Hollywood diva decorates herself with Swarovski almost every year at the prestigious Oscar film awards. At the same time, her images always create a sensation and are recognized as the standard of style throughout the world. At the Oscars in 2013, Angelina Jolie appeared in a long black dress embroidered with Swarovski crystals. It’s interesting that the luxurious, masterfully cut stones made from natural crystal were not traditionally white and silver, but exquisitely black! At the same time, the night-colored crystals were not at all “lost” on Jolie’s black dress. On the contrary, they gave it a special charm and sophistication.

Graceful Swarovski crystals perfectly highlight the excellent natural color of the famous brown-haired woman’s eyes and hair, as well as the noble marble pallor and impeccable purity of her skin.

Other stars

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.

Expensive figurines

The company launched a series of signature crystal figurines in 1976. The figures shimmer and shine no worse than miniature crystals in jewelry. There are people around the world who track new items and buy them for their collection. About 0.5 million people belong to an action figure collecting club.

The most expensive and valuable among collectors are:

1. A 5" x 7" Hello Kitty figurine released in a limited edition in 2013.
2. Donald Duck figurine, limited to 150 pieces and priced at $9,000.
3. Exclusive Bald Eagle with yellow topaz beak. The body is made of amber, covered with yellow amber Swarovski crystals.

For the centenary of the Swarovski company in 1995, a museum was opened in Innsbruck. All the best works are collected there. The museum itself is located in a cave.