Rhinestones a Brief History:
The classical rhinestone was entitled after the Rhine River found on the German/Austrian border, is colorless or clear and fashioned from glass, paste, or natural quartz.
In 1775, Frenchman George Frederic Stras designed a fashion of coating a portion of the stone with a metallic powder, which gave the rhinestones their brilliant sparkle. Constructing each stone by hand, he advertised them as "the poor man's diamond". The price of the rhinestone remained costly due to the slow production method of each stone being made by hand.
In 1892 Daniel Swarovski introduced the mass production of rhinestones, hence the famous Swarovski crystal family, he received a patent for a machine that automatically cut the stones. Speeding up the production process caused prices to drop down to a very affordable range.
By the year 1895, Daniel Swarovski set up and opened a factory in Austria, and started the production of rhinestones in a superior quality and with uniformity. In later years he was joined in his business by his three sons.
Swarovski's died in 1956, and by this time the company was (and still is) the largest manufacturer and exporter of rhinestones. The Swarovski rhinestones are valued for their quality of excellence and brilliance to this day.
RHINESTONES are still in high demand because of the twinkle of their sparkle and their vivid brilliance. They still, and most likely will, continue to grace millions of wedding gowns, formal and party and prom dresses, ice skating and dancing garb, and countless pieces of beautifully designed costume and fashion jewelry.
The majority of the world's finest rhinestones are now made in Austria and the Czech Republic. Acrylic or plastic rhinestones are also available but they do not display the blast of brilliance that natural stones do.
The most popular rhinestones today are the Flat-back rhinestones. They have a faceted front or top and foil-covered flat back to produce an extraordinary brilliance. They are easily attachable to fabrics and most surfaces using glue, heat, or metal settings. They are used throughout the clothing and design industry, on accessories, and to decorate everything from your finger nails to your cell phones.
Rhinestones come in a wide range of bright radiant colors. Of course the most popular "color" is Crystal, a clear colorless stone with a diamond-like radiance. Another popular choice is the Aurora Borealis, a coating available on Crystal, and many colors, which has an iridescent, colorful rainbow-like effect.
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