What is the difference between strass and swarovski

That's how many one hundred stones is. Then multiply that number by the approximate number of 10 cm squares needed to cover what you want to decorate.

Here's another way to work it out, especially if you want to make a line or totally cover an area:. Doing a square? To slather a 10cm square in ss20 rhinestones you'll need So, 10 gross x ss20 will totally cover an area of 10cm x 36cm. So, 20 gross x ss20 will totally cover an area of 20cm x 36cm. So, 30 gross x ss20 will totally cover an area of 30cm x 36cm, and that's about close to an entire front bodice area. If you're looking at using ss30's, here's another guide.

A single line of ss30's will give you coverage of 64cm x 6. And a 'four row' so using stones of ss30's will give you coverage of 64cm x 26cm. A 10cm square totally covered side to side with stones would take about x ss30's.

If in doubt and you think you're buying more than you feel you're likely to use just remember that extras will always be handy for jewellery, fingernails, shoes or repairs. Also, no application method is perfect and you can always expect to shed some stones over time, so having extras on hand is always going to be useful.

None at all. The technically correct name for a pointed back stone is 'chaton' and a flatback stone is 'chaton rose'. While there was once a significant difference in quality, appearance and performance between the two brands of Swarovski Austria and Preciosa The Czech Republic , these days there is less difference, and the two brands offer strengths in each area. We love the perfection and exquisiteness of Swarovski. It's quality is undeniable.

It is a perfect choice for bridal, couture and for situations where the nothing less than the best will do. But sometimes the conveyance of stone colour can get a little lost amongst the dazzle. This used to be the case particularly so for colours with the AB coating added to them. With the advent of the Shimmer coating this became much less of an issue, as colours with the Shimmer coating convey more of the stone's colour than colours with the AB coating did or do.

But we also love the simplicity of the Preciosa range, and the quality yet affordability that it brings to the market. Preciosa stones retain that important colour flash up close as well as at a distance, and are considered a solid competitor to the Swarovski brand, albeit with a smaller range, less innovation and more traditional shapes and colours than Swarovski who are consistent leaders in innovation, range and shape offerings.

In the field of competitive dance and stage performance, we believe that Preciosa stones are an excellent all-round option, while Swarovski stones offer just that little more when you are creating a couture piece, whether it be for fashion, stage or bridal.

The Preciosa brand name was first registered in Bohemia in , but the history of glassmaking in Jablonec region has been written since the 14th century.

In fact, for centuries, Bohemia, a part of the Czech Republic, has been known for the art of crystal cutting. In the Fisher brothers brought the secrets of crystal cutting and polishing to North Bohemia. In Czech master craftsmen created a chandelier in honour of the coronation of Empress Maria Theresa which still bears her name. By the 's, Jablonec nad Nisou had become the world centre of jewellery industry.

But the development of jewellery and glass companies, which were established and prospering in North Bohemia throughout this time into the 's, was interrupted by World War II. In the seven main crystal factories and 18 small firms in and around Jablonec nad Nisou merged, forming the Preciosa company.

Preciosa was officially established on April 10, In , the company Lustry Kamenicky Senov Inc. In the subsidiary company Preciosa Figurky, Ltd. Nowadays, Preciosa Group associates the following companies: Preciosa Inc.

As a company Preciosa support the preservation of the environment , and enforce environmentally safe working conditions and ecologically responsible technologies. Whilst apprenticed to his father a glass cutter in a Bohemian glass foundry in , Daniel created a prototype cutting machine and moved to patent the invention. Before the end of , the new Swarovski Company had produced its first line of crystal glass products.

Initially there were a few production problems but by the early 's after refinements in production and technique, the company's line of crystal glass items expanded to include crystal jewellery. They continue to innovate as world leaders in crystal production, with shapes, colours, coatings and effects in the broadest array.

Taking crystal production from it's initial uses, Swarovski have added numerous applications to the base product. Nowadays you can expect not only to see crystals on chandelier trimmings and traditional jewellery; now you can knit with crystal yarn, have crystallized wallpaper, add crystals to all manner of textile applications, and embellish almost anything and everything with crystal. They also have several other brands such as reflective surfaces - Swareflex, grinding, cutting and drilling systems - Tyrolit, and optical lenses - Optik.

All Swarovski products reflect the values of the company - respect, integrity, and a sense of responsibility toward people and the environment. That's a good question, as obviously you'd want the stones to stay in place once you've embellished an item.

Hotfix rhinestones vary in quality of both appearance and adhesion, and we choose to stock the best two brands there are: 'Swarovski' and 'Preciosa', with our carefully-selected budget-conscious brand 'Arabesque' to meet the needs of clients requiring a quality cheaper option.

Hotfix tools vary in quality too, and we choose to stock the Bejeweller as it is simply the best Hotfix applicator tool available on the market. But, out of all the methods you could use to get crystals onto surfaces, Hotfixing is the method used by clothing manufacturers as quality rhinestones withstand washing and drycleaning.

BUT in saying that, as they are crystal embellishments , care should be taken when wearing, washing and drycleaning NB: drycleaning is only suitable for quality hotfix stones! Thus far there is no glue we've found that is suitable for dry-cleaning with use with Non-Hotfix stones as the crystals don't look their best and their adhesion doesn't perform it's best when they are roughly handled.

In terms of adherence to the varying surfaces that people like to adhere crystals to, results can vary. Due to the variety of surfaces, a water drop test is the best way to check if hotfixing will work. If you can drop a drop of water onto the surface and it seeps through, then it is ideal for hotfixing with quality stones. If the water doesn't seep through, but instead sits as a droplet on the surface, hotfixing stones to the surface may still work and in this case we have found that the Preciosa stones have a better adhesion than the Swarovski , but longevity can vary, so it's good idea to test first.

A firm bond between the hotfix glue and the carrier surface can only be achieved if at least part of the heat-activated glue soaks into the carrier surface. We've found that heavily foiled where the 'foil' is a plastic paillette fabrics used in dancewear tend to accept the Preciosa stones better than the Swarovski stones. Therefore, as a general rule, if you're trying to hotfix to plastic, metal, rubber, anything that's not porous , we recommend gluing the stones instead, using E as the preferred glue.

As a general rule, if you're hotfixing to fabrics or anything that is porous , stick to the best brands stones available, and if you have any doubt, then glue the stones on instead, but always go back to pointer 3! If you really want to apply rhinestones to surfaces, your options are to sew them on, hotfix them on, or glue them on, and each method has it's limitations within reason.

But, if you're keen to try hotfixing, we stand by our rhinestones as the best available for this purpose, even withstanding all the limitations explained above! Continue shopping for Hotfix Rhinestones. Sorry no we don't receive returned goods under such circumstances, so it's best to try and measure the area and divide by the stone size, so as to most accurately order the amount you need.

If you have trouble working it out, let us know the measurements and we can give you an idea of how many we think you may need. A ruler or haberdashery tape measure, and a calculator or a good practical math brain! Measure the line or area you want to rhinestone in millimetres. Then divide that number by the millimetre size of the rhinestones you want to apply. That will tell you how many you'll need to get.

If that's daunting, try doing a mock-up of the area maybe it's a panel on a tutu for example with paper, and dotting on the paper with a pen where you'd like your rhinestones to go. Then it's a simple matter of counting the dots. In regards to the glue sticking to the tip, this is an unfortunate but not fatal side effect of hotfixing. The hotfix glue does bit by bit get onto the tips you use, and they can become quite messy-looking.

They can be cleaned at the time, by wiping with something like a thick cloth or green steelo pad, or when cold can be cleaned with a wire brush. It's important to remember that when the glue has dried it IS supposed to be stuck forever, so the glue is definitely doing it's job! Unfortunately we know, it does make the tool's tips a little messy in the process. But try the methods above, or even filing the glue off if it's a really hard job, as those tips are not easy to find replacements for and are rather expensive to bring in!

Swarovski - world-leaders in quality crystals. Best brand if innovation, couture-quality and range of colours, effects and shapes is what you measure your stone requirements by. Excel in up-close visual quality and exquisite perfection. Preciosa - also world-leaders in quality crystals. Consistently among our best-sellers along with Swarovski. Preciosa delivers on maximum sparkle up-close and at a distance.

A favourite in the world of competitive dance and performance. No cheaper crystal has the same 'fire' as Preciosa or Swarovski, but Arabesque rhinestones do sparkle and do deliver on budget - fine for situations that aren't super-competitive. Acrylic - great for any project where the 'look' is needed, but not the full crystal treatment thanks These are the measurements, in millimetres, for each stone size we carry in the flat back Nail Art, Non-Hotfix and Hotfix ranges. The tolerance refers to the acceptable variance in size once an item is manufactured.

I' m ready to shop for Hotfix rhinestones. I'm ready to shop for Non-Hotfix rhinestones. Swarovski puts great effort in the protection of their brand.

In order to support you in using and communicating their brand correctly, they provide practical guidance on the proper use of the Swarovski trademark.

Check out these questions and answers about beads, pendants and pearls, and if you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact us. Beads have pre-drilled holes through them that allow for either stringing or sewing. Rhinestones may also have holes in them but also may not, depending on the style of stone.

They do however usually have a flat base or a pointed back base, so are in the main used for textile and set jewellery applications. Pendants also have a hole in them, pre-drilled, and usually in a place where by hanging the pendant you can create a 'drop'. The market has taken to refer to it as the 'bicone', as this aptly describes what is essentially the shape of two cones stuck together.

Preciosa however, refer to their bi-conal shaped bead as the 'Rondell' which is a language derivation of 'rondelle'; a small circular object, often jewelled. In the beading world there is also the 'rondelle' specifically, which is the metal ring, set with crystals.

Occasional polishing with a soft lint-free cloth will help you to retain the original sheen of your Swarovski Elements. If your crystals are soiled, they should be cleaned by hand in lukewarm water with a few drops of mild dish detergent or soap with a ph neutral base. Rinse under running water and afterwards dry them with a soft, lint-free cloth to avoid spotting and lint spoiling the shine.

Always dry your jewellery immediately after cleaning and store it in a dry, cool place until ready to wear to avoid tarnishing. Since , all Swarovski Strass components are produced using Advanced Crystal, an innovative lead-free formula containing.

Spectra Lead-free crystals create slightly paler rainbows than those produced by Swarovski STRASS crystal, and those produced by traditional leaded-glass prisms. Swarovski SPECTRA crystal prisms offer a basic assortment of timeless crystal, with reliable quality, and the peace of mind of a lead-free formula. Spectra lead-free faceted ball prisms have a different cut than the STRASS counterparts, enabling you to tell the difference between them -- this is especially handy if you sell both styles and get them mixed up.

The only difference that they know is that one of them contains lead. This is because of the addition of lead oxide, which increases the refractive index. K9 crystal offers a high refractive index and high clarity making it a good option for the manufacture of high end chandeliers offering both durability and excellent quality. Lead crystal is prized for its durability and decorative properties, even if it does not necessarily possess a crystalline structure. The Northern Lights in nature is a spectacle of color and light found in the northern areas of the world.

In the early to mid s, the Swarovski Company began experimenting with rhinestone coatings to produce a lustrous aurora borealis coating on crystals to make them more radiant and full of color. Swarovski is More Expensive than Glass This is because of the production process required to create glass vs crystals.

Compared to other glass jewelry products, Swarovski uses higher quality materials. The process of creating even one crystal is also complicated. Swarovski crystals are cheaper than cubic zirconia. This is due to the complicated manufacturing process and materials used in CZ. It's also worth noting that CZ is more durable than Swarovski Crystals and can be cut with more facets, offering a better light refraction than Swarovski crystals.

Swarovski itself is an artificial crystal product, not pure natural, famous for its cutting process and design. Swarovski's jewelry , metal parts are alloy rhodium-plated white gold or gold-plated golden , not our true gold or silver jewelry. Some pawn shops will pay cash for crystal glassware, vases, bowls, cups, and sets.

However, they will generally only buy brand name crystal in excellent to brand new condition, such as Waterford, Steuben, Tiffin, Lalique, Baccarat, Swarovski crystal jewelry and figurines , Fostoria, and Saint Louis. Swarovski is a brand name for a range of precision-cut crystal glass which is made only by its producers in Austria.

They do not occur naturally in the Earth. Daniel Swarovski invented a machine that revolutionized the process of crystal cutting which made it possible to cut crystal with extraordinary precision. With such beautiful jewelry, you are likely to wear it often. When you wear them every day , their clarity will drop faster, and they will become less clear and attractive than when you just bought them. To prevent them from becoming too boring, you need to gain some knowledge to keep them smart.

This makes crystal more prone to scratches and will become cloudy over time as these scratches accumulate. Swarovski crystal is a man-made precision cut crystal glass by the Swarovski brand in Austria. This type of crystal is known as a diamond simulant because it closely resembles diamond. To the untrained eye, Swarovski crystal can pass as a diamond.