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All
about rhinestones:
Rhinestones
are artificial clear or colored stones of high luster made of glass, paste
or gem quartz that are intended to simulate diamonds. The best rhinestones
are cut from quartz crystal.
Natural
crystals from the bottom of the river Rhine in Germany were early substitutes
for diamonds...hence, the term Rhinestone. Some people also refer to them
as crystals or stones.
Generally,
the stone's cut combined with the overall quality determine the price.
The higher the grade, the more the rhinestone will sparkle.
Very
often you’ll see some rhinestones shining different colors. They are called
Aurora Borealis (abbreviated AB) rhinestones. Aurora Borealis rhinestones
are rhinestones that have a special coating (developed in 1955) which produces
a rainbow of colors. It is applied to the surface of a glass stone or bead
to create a rainbow-colored sparkle.
The
term Aurora Borealis is derived from the brilliant colors of yellow, orange,
green and blue of the Aurora Borealis.
Some
of the more popular rhinestones are:
Swarovski
Austrian crystal rhinestones
Swarovski
leaded crystal rhinestones, created in Austria, set the standard upon which
all other stones are measured. They have consistently been recognized as
the highest quality stones due to their superior cut and clarity which
provides the best possible sparkle and brilliance. They are also the most
expensive. If your budget is not an issue, then buy Swarovski.
Czech
crystal rhinestones
Crystals
are also manufactured in the Czech Republic. In our opinion, these leaded
crystal machine cut stones (we call them Czech Superiors) are comparable
to Swarovski and the cost is considerably less.
Czech
glass rhinestones
The
difference in glass stones relates primarily to the lack of consistent
quality due to the material (glass vs. leaded crystal) and the cut (facets
are not individually cut, only the fronts and backs). These stones provide
an acceptable alternative in consideration of their lower cost.
Acrylic
rhinestones
These
are the least expensive stones. The cuts and the facets are fairly sharp
but the material (plastic) has less luster than the leaded glass used in
crystal rhinestones. If budget is of prime importance you can add substantial
value to the presentation of your performers costumes with acrylics.
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