What’s the Difference Between Rhinestones and Crystal Strass?

Bling - it catches the eye with its play of light. Some scientists believe our attraction to shiny things is due to our inborn desire for water. Whatever the scientific reason, humans love glittering objects. Moreover, one of the most prominent displays of bling is in fashion. Primarily, fashionistas use sequins, beads, and crystal Strass to bling clothing. However, for universal application, rhinestones offer the most versatility. 

Renaissance Glassmakers Seek to Replicate Natural Gemstones

Today, people use rhinestones to bedazzle different objects like shirts, shoes, handbags, phone cases, and fingernails. Generally, American retailers use the term rhinestones to describe bedazzling crystals. Sometimes, you may also manufacturers use the term crystal Strass. Both terms have historical significance.

Originally people used sparkling stones for jewelry alone. Centuries ago, gem hunters found a particular type of glittering quartz along the banks of the Rhine River. This clear quartz had mixed with lead during its formation to produce the sparkle. Highly prized among jewelry makers, this natural resource soon became depleted.

Eventually, the rise of glassmaking allowed artisans to replicate these “Rhine stones”. Although glassmaking began as early as the Bronze Age, interest waxed and waned in the following centuries. However, craftsmen in parts of Italy, especially Venice and Murano, continued to refine and perfect the glassmaking process.

To protect their market share, craftsmen began to form associations called guilds. In the 1200s, the glassmakers of Venice formed a guild laying out rules and regulations. This organization attempted to safeguard the secrets of the craft allowing Italy to control the trade.

Yet, in the following centuries, other areas of Europe began to crack the code of glassmaking. Notably, England and Bohemia began to steal away some of the market share as these craftsmen honed their skills. In addition to copying the quality of Italian glass for bowls and goblets, they began to create crystalline jewelry products.

Rhinestones Vs. Crystal Strass 

These crystalline products included faux gems. Essentially, gem cutters were still discovering how to cut and facet gemstones at this time. Due to their limited skills, jewelers created a piece around the shape of the gem. However, glassmakers could mold faux gems into any shape the jewelers needed allowing for more creative styles.
Furthermore, George Ravenscroft’s discovery of crystal created a new demand for glass jewelry. Faux gems now had high dispersion and higher refractive index than regular glass or rock crystal. This meant jewelry pieces made with crystal had more sparkle than real gemstones.

One particular jeweler, Georg Friedrich Strass, created a sparkling crystal stone with a metal foiled flat back. He called his creation a rhinestone after the sparkling quartz previously found along the banks of the Rhine River. Others began to refer to this manufactured stone as crystal Strass after its inventor. Depending on the location in the world, manufacturers may use either term.

Rhinestones Today

Of course, the lower cost of rhinestones made jewelry more affordable. Even the wealthy and nobility wanted rhinestone jewelry. Moreover, the flatback of Strass’s rhinestones allowed applications to include clothing. Soon fashion designers began embellishing garments with flatback rhinestones.

Although crystal is much more cost-effective than real gems, some consumers desired a more economical product. The invention of synthetic polymers like plastic opened up a new door for bling. One American jewelry company. Trifari began using synthetic polymers in some of its jewelry pieces. During the Art Deco period of the 1930s, this company produced many pieces using plastic rhinestones.

Today, you can find plastic, glass, and crystal rhinestones. However, crystal remains the highest quality of all types. Yet, glass and crystal rhinestones can be easily confused because crystal is a type of glass. Make sure to buy crystal if it’s important to buy the best type of rhinestone. Additionally, be sure to purchase your supplies from a reputable seller to ensure quality.
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Rhinestones Etc. is a family-owned supplier of high-quality crystal rhinestone products. Since 2011, we have been selling rhinestones online at competitive prices and great customer service. Browse our store for the perfect rhinestone size and color for your bling project.