What is Aurora borealis Rhinestone and about the swarovski crystal?

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Funky findz loves vintage Rhinestones and crystals. Here is a little more info on these precious gems.

Originally it comes from a Latin word meaning the northern lights.It means iridescence in many vintage costume jewelry descriptions. The term is most commonly used in reference to crystals, rhinestone, or synthetic stones that are iridescent. I think of them as fairy wings. They reflect so many different colors in the light. Also we tend to think of the lights of the north, from which I live, and have observed, they are beautiful and which are filled with many colors. They are magic.

My family comes from Austria, my mother is first generation and I did not know this little fact. I know however, that I love and have always loved fine crystals and the finest in the land are from the SWAROVSKI. A term we have all heard I learned that they are lead crystals that are faceted with a glass cutting machine.They have a pretty and unforgettable sparkle. Allot like diamonds!And this process was invented by Swarovski in Austria!

What does wise geek say about Rhinestones?

Wise geek tells us his view on Rhinestones:

All that glitters is not gold--sometimes it's rhinestones. They shimmer, sparkle and dance in the light, and they are nothing more than faceted bits of glass.

The original rhinestones were rock crystals that were plucked from the shores of the Rhine River in Austria, hence the name. But, as the sources of genuine rhinestones became depleted, resourceful jewelers sought techniques to duplicate the look of the original rhinestones.

In the latter part of the 1770s, a French jeweler by the name of George Frederic Stras came up with the idea of metal-coating the backs of clear crystals, which would force reflection from the backing out through the stone. That method created rhinestones as we know them today. An advancement by Daniel Swarovski in the technique of cutting crystals to mimic the facets of gemstones more than a century later, enabled rhinestones to be produced en masse, and the popularity of rhinestones soared.

The popularity of the rhinestone hit its heyday during the modern era between 1945 and 1960 when fine quality jewelers invested their talents in the making of fine rhinestone pieces. Fashion designers spangled the majority of eveningwear (and much daywear) with fun and flirty rhinestone detail. High-end clothing decorated with rhinestones, and signature rhinestone jewelry pieces, have become a hot commodity in the antiques and collectibles market.

Today's crystal rhinestones are still mostly manufactured in Austria, with the Czech Republic a close second. Rhinestones made from acrylic are manufactured in many countries. Regardless of where your rhinestones were produced, you will need to handle them carefully to guard against damage. While storing your rhinestones, never place them face-to-face because they will easily scratch; always store them separately or place tissue between the rhinestone pieces.

To clean your rhinestones, carefully apply a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. Water should be avoided as it will tarnish the foil backing.

What gives Rhinestones there brillance?

Seems the addtion of lead is a large factor. And the number of cuts or facets.

"Rhinestones are made of glass. Fine rhinestones have lead added to the glass to produce Lead Crystal, far more light reflective than glass. Preciosa MC and Swarovski are made of Lead Crystal. Korean and Czech Extra Grade of made of glass and are less bright than either Preciosa MC or Swarovski. All Point Back rhinestones are of Lead Crystal. Such as these Swarovski Crystals show."



Flat Back rhinestones are made of : Lead Crystal, Glass, or Acrylic. (Please note: There is NO acrylic stone that is as bright as glass, and there is no glass rhinestone that is as bright as Lead Crystal.

Rhinestone Brilliance is derived from: Type of glass used (Lead Crystal is far more bright than glass) and the Cut of the rhinestone.

The CUT of the rhinestone greatly influences its brilliance! Purchase the rhinestone with cut in mind. Rhinestones with more facets will glimmer more than those cut with fewer facets, AND rhinestones cut with fewer facets will flash more than those cut with a higher number of facets.

We have found the perfect compromise to be 8-12 facets around the table (table is the flat top of the rhinestone). When more facets are added to the rhinestone, the reflected light is broken into more and more pieces, therefore each piece of reflected light is smaller. Understand that up close, the more facets a rhinestone has, the better it will look to your eye. BUT! The real test of a rhinestone is at a distance of intended viewing

Costumers design outfits that are showing at distances of greater than 4 feet. Here, in all cases, the 8-12 facet rhinestone will be superior in effect to rhinestones of higher cut facets.