Are Swarovski Crystals Expensive? You want to purchase a piece of jewelry branded Swarovski. You’re familiar with the brand, but you’re not sure about the pricing or even what the crystals are worth.
If you’ve been in such a predicament, then we’re here to help you. The fashion industry tends to get overrun with the hype that you’re unable to tell what’s worth the buzz and what is not.
Here, we’ll answer questions about the cost of Swarovski crystals and what you need to know about it in relation to diamonds. What’s important is knowing what you’re buying into as its always best to be an educated buyer.
Are Swarovski crystals expensive?
Before we get into the details of it and why Swarovski crystals are expensive, let’s look at what they are. Swarovski crystals are human-made gems made in Austria. The name comes from the founder, Danial Swarovski, who, in 1892, came up with a machine that uses quartz, sand, and minerals to make high-quality lead glass crystals.
Another thing that stands out with Swarovski crystals is they are precision-cut, which adds to their elegance. Swarovski AG remains a family business, with the proportions of the raw materials remaining a company secret.
Swarovski crystals are expensive when compared to regular glass. That’s the case because of the formula the company uses to produce the lead glass crystals. Another aspect that adds to the pricing is the complicated process that goes into creating each crystal.
Also, you’ll find that for decades the company has partnered with high-end brands such as Christian Dior, Chanel, Christian Louboutin, and Louis Vuitton. With such brand names as clients, it is clear that Swarovski AG is a luxury brand.
Why are Swarovski crystals so expensive?
There are several reasons why Swarovski crystals are both special and expensive. Let’s explore.
1.Precision-cut
Thought Swarovski crystals are made from glass, which makes them impressive is the attention to detail that goes into cutting them.
Therefore, there is nothing simple about how these stones get made. It is also the cutting practices that increase the cost because they get a treatment similar to diamonds.
Also, it’s worth noting that the electric cutting machine the company use is patented.
2. It takes a long time to make
The process of making Swarovski crystals is quite extensive. It is a long and equally complicated process that only Swarovski AG use.
To understand more of why the process is long, you have to keep in mind that creating crystals that have a higher refraction index compared to an authentic gem such as a diamond.
The high refraction is thanks to the use of the 32 percent lead. The coating that makes the colors reflect during the refraction process.
3. The Swarovski secret process
Only Swarovski knows the mixture of quarts, lead, sand, and mineral that goes into the crystal formation process.
What is clear is that for the crystals to come together, you need to have high-quality material.
Overall, the clearer a crystal it is, the harder it typically is to produce.
4. Consistency in quality
The collaboration between man and machine means that the Swarovski crystals are consistent when compared to gems that occur naturally.
With these, you’ll find that they have scratches or bubbles and tend to lack brilliance. As they are, they wouldn’t meet the Swarovski crystals standards.
One thing you’ll note about Swarovski crystals is they are all consistent in both their quality and cut.
5. Easier to authenticate
One thing that is true about Swarovski crystals is they are also the same through and through.
The crystals are identical in both size and cut, which is a true testament of authenticity and artistry. What you’ll never find in Swarovski crystals is bubbles; if you do, then you’re dealing with a knockoff.
Other telling signs that you don’t have real Swarovski crystals is they have scratches on the surface, there is a dullness to it, and it has an oily sheen.
The authentic gems are both brilliant and clear, just as high-quality diamonds. You will also notice that the colored crystals are all identical in tone.
Lastly, you want to get Swarovski crystals from authorized dealers.
6. High-end brand
It’s no secret that Swarovski is considered to be a high-end company. Through their branding efforts and also clientele, you can tell that they are the cream of the crop in the industry.
Marilyn Monroe was in a Swarovski crystal dress when she sang Happy Birthday to J. F. Kennedy.
In 2018, Swarovski took the crown of the most extravagant stage at the Oscars with 45 million crystals decorating the stage.
It is such moments that make this crystal making company a force to be reckoned with.
Are Swarovski crystals more expensive than diamonds?
What you ought to know is Swarovski crystals fall under a category known as lead glass. Since they are made in a factory, they don’t fall under the category of precious gems stones.
However, even if they are cut glass, it is the mixture, precision, and cut that make Swarovski crystals stand out from other crystals in the fashion industry. That by itself is enough to secure their high market value.
With that, Swarovski crystals can never be more expensive than diamonds. When you’re grading the quality of a piece of rock, you look at the clarity, cut, color, and cut. Also, the certification of the same comes from GIA and AGSL institutes that test gems.
Ultimately, it is where diamonds come from that makes them by far more expensive than these human-made crystals. They came from deep within the earth’s surface and took about three billion years to form when carbon atoms crystallized under intense heat and pressure. Even the excavation process makes them expensive.
The other difference is the hardness. Diamonds fall on a ten on the Mohs scale of hardness while lead crystals tend to fall under a 6 or 7. These are the factors that will always make diamonds not only more expensive than Swarovski crystals but any manufactured crystal there is.
You might find that the consistency in cut for lead crystals more appealing, but it doesn’t take away from how much they are worth in comparison to Diamonds.
What is Swarovski crystal worth?
The question about the worth of Swarovski crystals is entirely subjective. What has driven up the cost of Swarovski crystals as compared to other gems in the market is the brand name.
Though they do produce high-quality crystals, they are not the only ones in the industry who do that as well. You can still get some high-quality gems from lesser-known brand names.
If you value Swarovski as a brand, then their jewelry is worth it for you. If you’re only keen about how a piece of jewelry looks and that it has high-quality crystals, then for you getting jewelry with Swarovski crystals wouldn’t be a marker of importance. For you, I’ll be about how good something looks and not the brand.
However, you will find that people opting for Swarovski crystals go for them because they are a high-end brand that does make quality products, not just crystals. They make a statement everywhere you go and guaranteed to turn heads.
Conclusion
There is much to admire Swarovski about as a brand. From what we’ve explored here, we do hope it’s increasingly clear why Swarovski crystals are expensive even though they aren’t natural gems like a diamond.
It’s also worth noting that though they are a top brand, don’t ignore others that are doing an equally good job producing exceptional crystals.
For more useful information, read here and here.
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Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.