Swarovski
Swarovski crystals are actually lead crystals of a special quality cut by a special laser technique. The material of the lead crystal and the refraction created by the precision of the cut combine to give the Swarovski crystal its playful shimmer. Swarovski crystals are available in a wide range of colour shades, and there are also colour play crystals with additional special effects. These are coated on one side with a very thin metallic layer (usually gold or silver), which increases the reflection of the crystal, making it look more shiny and the play of colour stronger.
Nowadays, in addition to a wide range of ornaments, Swarovski jewellery is in great demand.
Swarovski crystal jewellery can be divided into two parts:
1. Genuine Swarovski jewellery, together with the metal parts and other accessories, is shipped directly from the Swarovski factory to the stores. They are sold in a box with a dark blue background, a white swan emblem and a hologram, and a label of authenticity (quality certificate).
2. Jewellery made with original Swarovski crystals (Swarovski elements), which may come from different manufacturers, but are made using original Swarovski crystals. Larger, and usually more expensive, crystals are made with 3D Swarovski holograms engraved on the inside of the crystal to certify authenticity.
There are fakes, but they usually do not have the sparkle and shine of the original Swarovski crystals. Of course, original Swarovski crystals can now be bought all over the world at affordable prices, making them increasingly popular with manufacturers and buyers alike.
The history of Swarovski
Daniel Swarovski was born in 1862 in the Czech Republic, one of the most important centres of glass and crystal production in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The play of light in the crystal caught his attention as a child, and later on it defined his whole life. As a young boy, Daniel often watched his father's crystal-cutting workshop, and later apprenticed himself here and in several other cutting workshops.
When he visited his first electronics exhibition in Vienna at the age of 21, he was determined to revolutionise his field. Inspired by new techniques from Siemens and Edison, he developed a crystal-cutting machine that would work the material to perfection. His dream finally came true 19 years later, in 1892, when he patented the process. The new technology was also much faster and more precise than the manual work that had been done until then. A new era in the world of crystals had begun.
Daniel Swarovski, together with his brother-in-law Franz Weiss and Armand Kosman, founded the predecessor of the present company in 1895.
The company celebrated their centenary in a fitting manner by building Swarovski Crystal Worlds, a unique exhibition centre, concert hall and festival hall.