Many Swarovski Silver Crystal lovers believe that the raw material used in the manufacture of Swarovski crystal objects occurs naturally, like rock crystal from which containers and spheres have been carved since time immemorial. Swarovski Crystal is not a natural crystal but is man made. Swarovski Crystal is made at the factory in Wattens using basic formulae perfected by Daniel Swarovski and his three sons in the earlier part of this century.
Many people mistake the word "SILVER" in the name Swarovski Silver Crystal mean that Swarovski products contain silver, actually it does not. A Swarovski craftsman in Austria, who held up a finished piece of crystal to the light inspections, was awed by the silvery glow created by the object's spectral brilliance and since then, all pieces in the collection have been called Swarovksi Silver Crystal.
Swarovski Silver Crystal is made of a combination of natural minerals and quartz sand, and then it is fired and then cooled slowly to avoid stress and inclusions. Swarovski uses only high lead content crystal glass; typically a full 32% of the glass is lead and lead oxide. The presence of the lead increases the index of refraction, bringing it closer to that of diamond. The sparkle comes from light bouncing off internal surfaces in the lead crystal. This is why lead glass beads have an attractive sparkle and heavier weight than cheaper forms of glass.
Crystal is also usually more expensive than glass because it involves a lot of workmanship and production. The price of Crystal depends on quality on the production method and the processing of the raw material. Both factors play a major role in determining its brilliance and the measure of its value.
The factor that sets Swarovski crystal products apart from imitations and those made by other manufacturers is and always has been the superior quality of the cutting and polishing. Some gift ware manufacturers purchase standard chandelier stones and assemble them to create their own designs, but these figures are easily identified by the holes in the crystal. However, the stones used in Swarovski Silver Crystal pieces are not available to other companies, because each component is cut specially for the Swarovksi Silver Crystal piece in question.
