The origin of the Austrian Swarovski Crystal

At the end of the 19th century in Austria, Daniel Swarovski founded a company with the aim of cutting crystals automatically.

The Austrian Swarovski Crystal (pronounced swa-rovs-kee) was born. The company became enormously successful and soon expanded to various areas like producing optical products, abrasives and grinding instruments. The cutting of crystals is now one of the most wanted components in handcrafted beaded jewellery. The Swarovski crystal components are regarded as the highest quality machine cut and polished crystal beads in the world since 1892.

Since they are machine cut, each crystal is identical. Swarovski Crystals are perfectly uniform. This means that the height, width and slope are consistent. The founder Daniel Swarovski used machines that precisely cuts each crystal. Cutting hard materials such as crystal and gems, that have a hundred identical facets in several directions, is a very complex task. Each direction of the reflected light must first be calculated by computer, then this has to be simulated in 3D, optimized and ultimately translated into control programs for complex machinery. This is just part of the technology that gives Swarovski crystals their unbelievable flash and handcrafted beaded jewelry its flair.

Daniel Swarovski created its glass with a special compound that imitators are not able to copy. This special compound creates the incredible brilliance of their product. The delicate color palette is another quality that sets Swarovski crystal components apart from everything else. Swarovski crystals are also highly favored in beaded teen jewelry and in childrens jewelry. Swarovski offers many different shapes of beads and components which come in a variety of colours. Many beaded jewelry designers like to combine freshwater pearls, semi precious gemstones, and sterling silver components with Austrian Swarovski Crystals.