Real or Fake Crystals - Could you Tell?

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A brief History In 1892 Daniel Swarovski invented a machine that could cut crystal jewellery stones with unprecedented precision, he filed for patents soon after. In 1895 he founded the company Swarovski. By 1908, Swarovski, together with his three sons experimented with different methods to produce pure crystal and within three years they were able to refine this to a state of flawless brilliance. This was further improved in 1956 when they began coating crystal elements with thin layers of metal to enhance their brilliance, known as the AB (Aurora Borealis) Effect. In 1977 they introduced a new synthetic stone, cubic Zirconia. The CZ stone most closely replicated a natural stone in sparkle and brilliance. This was a revolution in the jewelry business and became the new trend. Today's crystal elements have been refined and improved to produce un-paralleled brilliance and perfection, they have become a preferred choice among the world's leading designers.

The Genuine Article Someone once asked me what was the point of using real CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements, when there were many manufacturers who were claiming - and even labelling - their products were genuine when they were imitations. I replied that for us, there is no other crystal that has as much beauty, brilliance and precision as the genuine article and that it was important to deliver only the best. So, how do you tell the genuine article from the fake, there are many who have attempted to recreate the perfection of CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements and - in our opinion - none who have succeeded. Whilst nobody selling a fake is going to assist in your search for the truth, here are some tell tale signs you can look for:-

Brilliance CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements are precision cut for maximum brilliance, each cut designed to capture and reflect the maximum amount of light. Pink Equine use 2028 Xillion Flatback stone for the majority of our browbands, they are the ONLY stone to have 14 facets cut into them, compared with 8 - 12 from many other makes. We also use the Xillion Chaton (pointed back) stone in our premier range. When you look into a Xillion cut stone you will get the impression the facets go right through the stone, much like a cut diamond, whereas many cheaper articles will not have any depth at all.

Rhinestone Material Flat back rhinestones are made of Lead Crystal, Glass or Acrylic. CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements are made from Lead Crystal, Korean and Czech Extra Grade stones are made of glass and are less bright. Acrylic stones are widely available and ideal for cheap applications such as children's clothes, but they will not sparkle like glass and are not comparable at all to lead crystal.

Colour CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements have a depth of colour not matched by even its closest competitors, in some cases the difference is small, but it is still noticeable. The colour will experience subtle changes as the light catches it, but the depth of colour remains.

Flaws CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements are flawless, they are machine cut which means every stone will be exactly the same, all cuts will be sharp and you will find no air bubbles in the stone.

Branding CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements, is the only Branding that users of Swarovski components are permitted to use. The Swan Logo or the Swarovski name by itself, is only used on official Swarovski products, made by Swarovski. Any use of the Swan Logo or Swarovski name for products not made by Swarovski is never authorized under any circumstances, and any such use can be a tell tale sign to look for. Pink Equine have signed an agreement with Swarovski, to enable us to use the CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements Branding. Our products have been sent to Swarovski for approval and agreement to carry the branding.

Price If you want the best, then generally you have to pay for it. It might seem obvious but you really do get what you pay for. If you buy cheap, it probably won't be made to last. Genuine CRYSTALLIZED ™ - Swarovski Elements are the most expensive rhinestones on the market, but they are, without a doubt, the best. Pink Equine browbands, combine the best rhinestones, which are then hand set and finally finished in top quality leatherwork by skilled craftsmen. At Pink Equine, we feel there can be no compromise on materials or finish and it is this that enables us to give a 12 month unconditional guarantee to our customers. For the record, in the last 12 months, we have not had a single browband returned to us with quality issues.