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Swarovski. The history
Personalized jewellery with individual engraving
July 22, 2019
Swarovski crystals – how to check if they are original?
January 14, 2020
It is 1885. Daniel Swarovski – Czech jeweler realizes his own vision and opens his first factory in the picturesque town of Wattens, located in the high Austrian Alps…
Daniel Swarovski‘s father was the owner of a small glass factory, in which Daniel had been getting glass cutting skills from an early age. Thanks to his enthusiasm and experience, in 1882 he manages to patent an electric glass cutting machine with a greater precision than manual cutting. Daniel Swarovski’s goal was to make the crystal more popular, to create a “diamond for everyone”. His patent was to melt a mixture of quartz sand, minium, potassium and soda at high temperatures, but the exact treatment process remains a strictly protected secret until today. In order to get a refraction of light in the rainbow spectrum, it uses proper cutting angles developed over the years, as well as metallic light-scattering coatings, such as Aurora Borealis, Crystal Transmission, Volcano, Aurum, Shimmer and Dorado. The company has grown rapidly since the beginning, becoming a family enterprise, and then a group of enterprises managed by twelve family members.
Daniel Swarovski
1899. Daniel Swarovski initially uses the image of a noble edelweiss in the logo of his company (a reflection of the Austrian origin of the crystal) and gains fame in France as “Pierres Taillées du Tyrol” – “Cut stones from Tyrol”. Since then, the madness of Swarovski crystals began, which it intensifies until the end of the 1930s.
1919. The Tyrolit Group is formed, which, hence to Daniel’s invention, specialized in the production of tools for grinding, polishing, cutting, sawing and drilling. Until today, this brand is one of the leading suppliers of innovative precision solutions in the world.
1932. One of the most charismatic stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, the legendary femme fatale and the icon and designer of his own style: Marlene Dietrich, debuting in the film Blonde Venus, dazzles in jewellery and outfits decorated with Swarovski crystals.
1939. Design of ruby shoes for Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.
1949. A new brand is created: Swarovski Optik, based on the patent of Daniel Swarovski‘s son-Wilhelm, producing binoculars and telescopes used in hunting, as well as for nature observation and useful in travel and leisure.
1950. Another brand Swareflex is created – offering intelligent road safety systems and lighting solutions for industrial facilities, traffic zones, hotels and shops.
Swarovski – Golden 50s
1956. Creation of the AB effect from Aurora Borealis, that makes the crystal more glitter, with the colors of the rainbow as an association with the aurora borealis. Christian Dior, charmed by the rainbow effect, is the first to use crystals to decorate the deep neckline of his creations.
Christian Dior, Swarovski Aurore Boreale
Swarovski – 60s. Entering the big screens of Hollywood
1962. Marilyn Monroe, singing “Happy Birthday Mr. President” for President JF Kennedy in Madison Square Garden, appears in a flesh-colored dress designed by Jean Louis, decorated with 2500 crystals, which in the spotlight glisten with thousand of colors, making the fabric to disappear in the glow of the crystals (Only genuine Swarovski crystals shine dazzlingly. Find out more: “Swarovski crystals – how to check if they are original?).
1966. The newly created Swarovski Lighting brand decorates the stage with “Sputnik” chandeliers made of crystals, which by rising up, steal the performance and receive huge ovations at the Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center in New York. Chandeliers were renovated in 2008, thanks to which the opera fans, had the opportunity to get a valuable piece of history by buying a crystal from the original chandeliers. Today the chandeliers come in both, classical form (e.g. from 1980 at the Versailles Palace in Paris) and modern form (Salzburg Festival).
1977. Swarovski jewellery enters the US market.
1983. On the prestigious Old Bond Street in London, the first Swarovski store, Silver Crystal Suite, is opened. The Swarovski figurines arouse such admiration, that already on the opening day a turtle figurine is stolen. At that moment, the tradition of introducing the annual limited Swarovski Christmas figurine begins.
1993. Development of the “Crystal Mesh” – a shiny fabric covered with fine crystals, which was later used in the creations like Mary Katrantzou, Hussein Chalayan and Christopher Kane.
Swarovski Kristallwelten – Swarovski Crystal Worlds
1995. Daniel’s great-granddaughter: Nadja Swarovski, joins the family business. In order to revive the brand and use crystals in the creative industry, it implements a series of visionary projects.
1995. The Swarovski Crystal Worlds – “Swarovski Kristallwelten”, designed by Andre Heller, are created in the vicinity of the factory’s 100th anniversary. In time, the Crystal Worlds grow, taking the form of a vast park with a museum consisting of 17 “Chambers of Wonder“, which were designed by world-famous artists such as Brian Eno, Tord Boontje, Niki de Saint Phalle, Jim Whiting, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, and Yayoi Kusama. Each artist interpreted the crystal in his own way, which is why each room is distinguished by its individual themes and atmosphere (photos below). In addition to the museum, there is also Swarovski shop with the largest amount of crystals, Swarovski jewellery and figurines in the world. In 2014, on the Swarovski’s 120-year anniversary, the attractions were renovated and expanded, by adding the Crystal Cloud consisting of 800,000 crystals, the Playtower and the Daniels Kristalwellten restaurant.
By 2019, the Swarovski Kristallwelten had been visited by 15 million people. To spice up your journey and delve deeper into the world of crystals, you should go to it by “crystal train“, in which chilled champagne is served in glasses sprinkled with fine crystals.
Swarovski Collective
1999. Alexander McQueen – one of the greatest British fashion designers of his generation, in his Spring Summer collection, presents the Swarovski crystal mesh, which marks the beginning of support for new designers and the creation of the Swarovski Collective project. The project was founded by Nadja Swarovski and people such as Isabella Blow and Alexander McQueen, and their goal was to create innovative and unconventional fashion trends, decorated with Swarovski crystals. In later years, Swarovski Collective collaborated with over 150 designers from New York, London, Milan and Paris, presenting their creations during the most avant-garde fashion shows.
Swarovski – after 2000
2003. Premiere of the Swarovski Crystal Rocks, the first crystal fabric using the innovative Hot-Fix technique, which can be ironed, stapled and glued to other materials.
2006. Madonna during the “Confessions” tour dazzles appearing in creations designed by Arianne Phillips, decorated with thousands of Swarovski crystals.
Atelier Swarovski
2007. Atelier Swarovski is created – the brand offers collections of crystal accessories, which are created in cooperation with one of the world’s greatest artists and fashion, jewellery and architecture designers.
“Swarovski has collaborated with couture houses such as Chanel and Dior since the early 1900s. It’s amazing to bring to life the creative ideas of today’s top designers ” – Nadja Swarovski.
2009. After three years of design, research and tests, based on the famous Swiss quartz movement, the first collection of Swarovski Crystal Watches decorated with crystals, sets new standards, combining elegance and discreet luxury.
2010. Sale of Michael Jackson‘s crystal glove for $ 192,000.
2012. The debut of Xirius 1088 – the brightest star in the galaxy resembling a precious stone. Thanks to the new standards of precise cutting technique, the crystal becomes even more durable, and has richer colors and better foiling, which brings it closer to a diamond. From that moment all produced crystals are lead-free.
2013. Creation of the Swarovski Foundation, aimed for further expanding charitable activities supporting culture and creativity, promoting prosperity and human rights, as well as saving natural resources.
2013. Swarovski Entertainment presents its first film: Romeo and Juliet.
Madonna tour accompanied by Swarovski
„We need Swarovski crystals on a Madonna tour like we need her guitars. It is part of what the show is about, part of this magical illusion that we create. We have crystals in every form that you can imagine. We are depending on Swarovski to tell our story and to reach every single set of eyes in that huge stadium” – Arianna Phillips (designer).
2015. Madonna’s outfits during the “Rebelion Heart” tour consisted of 350 costumes from over 2.5 million Swarovski elements, in 50 colors and 60 cuts, which took 1,200 man-hours to decorate clothes, shoes, masks, hats, gloves and belts. The crystals were visible not only in the Madonna’s costumes, but also the dancers and the shiny scenery. Her performances are known from spectacular choreography, thanks to which, throughout the years of her career, she gained the best fashion designers who created legendary creations for her.
Swarovski ambassadors
2017. “Marlene Dietrich’s Last Dress” – Swarovski and ElektroCouture, 25 years after the actress’s death, create a dress decorated with 2,000 crystals and 150 LEDs. The dress was inspired by correspondence that took place between the actress and fashion designer Jean Louis in 1958.
„She wanted a dress that glows, she wanted to be able to control it herself from the stage and she knew she could have died of an electric stroke had it ever been realized.”
– Jean Louis.
2017. Opening of the Swarovski global service center in Gdańsk.
2018. At the Victoria Secret show, Crystals from Swarovski adorn the Fantasy bra, worth over a million dollars.
2018. During London Fashion Week, Swarovski collaborates with House of Holland, Mary Katrantzou and Richard Quinn.
2019. The number of people who visited the Swarovski Kristalwellten museum exceeds 15 million.
Swarovski – films
1953 – Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Marilyn Monroe).
1961 – Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Audrey Hepburn’s tiara).
1997 – Titanic – James Cameron.
2001 – Moulin Rouge – Baz Luhrman.
2002 – James Bond: Die Another Day (a scene in which Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry lie on bed of diamonds made with Swarovski crystals).
2004 – The Phantom of the Opera (chandelier).
2009 – This Is It (Michael Jackson rehearsing for a concert tour).
2010 – Black Swan – Darren Aronofsky (wehicle).
2012 – Skyfall (Severine).
2015 – A Royal Night Out (costume jewellery).
2017 – The Greatest Showman (High Jackman).
2017 – Beauty and the Beast (Emma Watson).
2018 – Bohemian Rhapsody (Rami Males).
2019 – Rocketman (costumes).
Swarovski 2019
Daniel Swarovski and his invention not only revolutionized the production of crystals, but also became a significant brand in the world fashion, that sets trends, instead of following them. Swarovski has always had a huge impact on trends emerging in the fashion world. This is because he has followed, penetrating and analyzing social behavior and change, taking into account the difference between generations and human behavior for years. Such analysis results in drawing conclusions and understanding the needs of his clients, and then meeting them.
His strategy began more than 100 years ago, when he focused on cooperation with the greatest artists and designers from the world of jewellery, fashion, art, design, cinema, architecture, lighting and interior design. Swarovski cooperated with: Christopher Kane, Hussein Chalayan and Rodarte, Viktor and Rolf, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Fredrikson Stallard, Zaha Hadid, John Pawson, Daniel Libeskind, Prince Dimitri, Karl Lagerfeld, Mary Katranzou, Alexander Wang, Brandon Maxwell, Gabriela Hearst, Rosie Assoulin, Iris Apfel, Stephen Webster, Anna della Russo, Jason Wu and Sandy Powell. In addition, the brand has established cooperation with many young artists and designers, who have gained worldwide fame, i.e. Erd Moralioglu, Joseph Altuzzara and Prabal Gurung. Today’s fashion houses such as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana or Valentino, are still consistently using Swarovski Elements to decorate their seasonal collections. Thanks to the rich heritage, support of contemporary designers and constant commitment to the development of young talents around the world, Swarovski has established his position as a significant element of fashion. The evidence it, that today there is more than 3,000 Swarovski stores in over 170 countries, employs almost 30,000 employees, and its income is about EUR 3 billion. The company is now run by the fifth generation of the Swarovski family, which, thanks to many years of tradition, still maintains high standards that guide innovation, perfection and perfectionism. There are 17 Swarovski shops in Poland, but the brand is gaining more and more popularity due to developing an offer, that is in ever more accessible price ranges, starting from several dozen euros.
Swarovski jewellery – why is it so popular?
We already know that the original Swarovski crystals are unique beauty, exceptional cut quality and high brilliance. (Find out how to check if a crystal is genuine in the article: “Swarovski crystals – how to check if they are original?). Women from all over the world have fallen in love with their diamond shining crystals, which is why ornaments with crystals are an object of desire for many of them. It is worth responding to their desires by creating jewelry that illuminates the face and emphasizes the beauty of the eyes, working on high-quality components and crystals. 925CRAFT – a manufacturer and jewelry findings wholesaler, offers Swarovski crystals and pearls, which, due to the change in the business model of this brand and the resulting difficulties in availability its crystal elements, are replaced with GAVBARI crystals of comparable quality. What’s more, we have also enriched our assortment with gemstones GAVBARI and semi-precious stones and GAVBARI pearls, which perfectly match the components previously dedicated to Swarovski products. In our store you can buy all the necessary elements of the highest quality 925 silver with the possibility of plating with gold, rhodium and platinum or oxidation – at wholesale and retail prices.
With 925CRAFT’s silver findings you will successfully make occasional, wedding, evening and everyday jewelry. Crystals, natural stones and pearls are an ideal proposition for the evening – adding phenomenal charm, elegance and femininity to stylish outfits when going out to a restaurant, theater or for a romantic dinner. The currently flourishing men’s jewelry is an opportunity to compose a collection of sleeve links, which is why silver cufflink settings will allow you to create original, unique and elegant jewelry, which can be matched to women’s accessories. Swarovski Rivoli crystals, GAVBARI Rivoli crystals or Square Cushion and Rivoli GAVBARI or Rose cut semi-precious stones can be glued into the cufflink blanks mentioned above. Also, be inspired by the article “Cufflinks – icons of men’s style and elegance“.
Take a look at other crystal blanks: a earring posts for Rivoli or a earring hook for Square Cushion. An example of silver elements for pearls is a pendant bail with a pin or a bat pendant – a beautiful setting dedicated to 8 mm pearl. Find inspiration for pearl jewelry in the article: “Jewellery with pearls”.
Giorre – a brand that uses Swarovski and GAVBARI crystals
GIORRE is a Polish brand of exclusive jewelery, which used previously available Swarovski crystals for projects made of 925 silver. Due to the business transformation of Swarovski®, resulting in the impending unavailability on the market of crystals of this brand, GIORRE uses equally high-quality crystals, precious and semi-precious stones and GAVBARI pearls.
Do you want to feel special, illuminated by crystals and fill others with admiration?
Or maybe you are looking for an original gift for a loved one?
Check how unique is Giorre jewelry with original Swarovski crystals and pearls: serotonin earrings with crystals, chain cuff earrings with zirconia, rose quartz necklace or Rivoli GAVBARI crystal ring.
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2 Comments
Hello! I have so many questions regarding so much and limited time. Is it possible to speak to someone who is so well versed and able to answer all of my questions. So far I have always hit a dead end – even with dealing the the stores themselves. I am very interested. I own much Swarovski and have recently bought MUCH and signed by the artist for my friends. Please help me with my many questions and just to know the knowledge of Swarovski. I have read this article and it is fascinating! But, it does not help me regarding various questions. I have already learned a lot by ready such articles – but I need to know more. Please know that I have been buying, collecting Swarovski since my daughter was 3 as gifts for her to give to her when when she got older. She is now 31 and does not appreciate what I thought we both appreciated when she was young. Please give me a call at 914-473-3176 or my email is [email protected]. I definitely would preferer a call though as it seems whomever I speak with within the Swarovski stores knows nothing of retired pieces or the copyright or other origin or much more. Please do help me. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I so appreciate it. Sincerely, Susan Dunkin
Hi Susan,
please call to this number: +48 17-2300-400
or fill in this form: https://en.silvexcraft.eu/contact-us
and one of our person from customer service will help you,
regards 🙂