When it comes to jewelry, it’s Swarovski crystal or it’s just cut glass. A family-run business founded in 1895, Swarovski is a world-renowned producer of crystal glass, jewelry, and accessories. From its humble beginnings as an Austrian glass-cutting company to its status as being the international standard for high-quality crystal glass elements and jewelry, Swarovski also makes precision optics for telescopes, microscopes, and binoculars. An offshoot of the company, Tyrolit, makes and markets the tools and equipment needed to cut, grind, and shape minerals of all types, as well as drills and saws for cutting through concrete and other highly resistant surfaces.
Swarovski crystals or jewelry with its crystal elements have a reputation for unparalleled clarity and sparkle and have such been used to great effect in the entertainment industry for decades. This includes several James Bond films where Swarovski crystals were used as stand-ins for real diamonds, the jewelry worn by Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and the tiara worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Michael Jackson’s famous crystal glove was made of Swarovski elements, and the massive 9-foot diameter star constructed of Swarovski crystal has adorned the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree since 2004.
