Rhinestones are a type of specially cut crystal that can be used in all kinds of products such as in decorating or jewelry. Today rhinestones are made in an assortment of different colors, and come in various forms of increasing clarity and preciseness of cut, much like diamonds.
What Are Rhinestones?
Rhinestones are crystal stones that are usually associated with the Rhine region, which is why it is so named, as this was where the stones were first created. Rhinestones are not jewels, but are simply lead crystal that is cut and made to look like a jewel. Rhinestones are now used to make all kinds of jewelry accessories and apparel.
Daniel Swarovski
The rhinestone was originated by Daniel Swarovski in the 1890s in Austria. Over the course of nine years, Swarovski, the founder of Swarovski crystals, designed a new machine to cut crystals with a method far superior to that of hand cutting that was previously used.
After he received a patent for his design, Swarovski crystals were born. Swarovski creates rhinestones of the highest quality, producing stones that contain a higher lead content, and thus reflect light at more precise angles.
Types of Rhinestones
The most common kinds of rhinestones are Korean, Czech and acrylic crystals. The Korean and acrylic cuts of rhinestones are far cheaper than Swarovski rhinestones, and thus are often of poor quality, while the Czech cut is only slightly less expensive than Swarovski rhinestones.
Rhinestones of a lesser quality often feature inconsistent cuts and do not reflect light in the same way that more expensive rhinestones do. Some cheaper rhinestones are produced from cut glass instead of lead crystal.
Uses for Rhinestones
Rhinestones can be used in a variety of different items, including figurines and making vintage rhinestone jewelry such as bracelets, anklets and necklaces. They can be glued to fabric as a way of decorating clothes, pillows or blankets, and can be used to decorate various other things like picture frames or furniture.
