Is the Preciosa Rhinestone Brand a Good Buy?

Sparkling objects always capture our attention. For whatever reason, the reflection of light is irresistible. Rhinestones are pieces of glass that catch and reflect light. Skaters, dancers, and movie stars love to attract your attention by embellishing with rhinestones. Admittedly, it’s hard to look away from a rhinestone-encrusted garment.  But, if you’ve ever shopped for rhinestones, you may find it confusing with many different manufacturers.  Some rhinestones have more brilliance than others due to the composition or arrangement of facets. Others have different colors or shapes. And while some manufacturers are new to the market, the Preciosa rhinestone brand has been around for almost 500 years. 

In the Czech Republic, the art and tradition of glassmaking passed on from generation to generation. Bohemian glass became sought after for its high brilliance, brightness, and sparkle. No other rhinestone manufacturer has been around for as long. Starting with Preciosa’s humble beginnings in the Crystal Valley to a leading brand, the company continually strives for crystal perfection. 
​

A Brief History of Bohemian Crystal Glass
​

Rhinestones, leaded glass with a reflective backing, have dazzled for centuries. Its history is steeped deep within the Crystal Valley in the Czech Republic. Almost 500 years ago, craftsmen fired up the first glassmaking kiln. And over the years, Bohemian glassmakers have amazed the world with their innovative products.

In 1715, Bohemian craftsmen introduced the chaton, the world’s first cut stone. Shortly thereafter, craftsmen began coating the back with a metal foil to reflect the incoming light. The resulting product closely resembled diamonds in appearance. But because craftsmen needed to cut each stone by hand, these early rhinestones were still quite expensive.
​
It took almost 200 years for the invention of a machine that cut crystal faster and more precise. This particular craftsman, Daniel Swarovski, moved to Austria to open his own company. Meanwhile, the craftsmen of Bohemia continued to work independently until 1948. At this time, 25 companies and factories merged into one national company under the name of Preciosa. 

The Maxima Rhinestone
​

Today, Preciosa craftsmen continue the tradition of innovation. The company manufactures 35,000 premium products, all 100% made in the Czech Republic. Rising to meet the concerns of consumers for safer crystal, Preciosa unveiled its lead-free rhinestone in 2013. Named the Maxima, it features 15 pristinely cut facets.

Preciosa’s lead-free formula has a refraction index comparable to leaded glass. The refraction index is a measurement tool to assess the rhinestone’s brilliance. In a complicated mathematical equation, scientists compute the index on how much light bends when it enters into the crystal. Basically, an object with a higher refractive index reflects more light back to your eyes. Or in other words, the object has more sparkle. Having a similar refractive index, the Maxima rhinestone is indistinguishable from its leaded counterpart.

Preciosa starts with the purest raw materials.  Then, using advanced technologies, craftsmen cut and polish components to guarantee color consistency, sparkle, and brilliance. Combined with its revolutionary Dura-Foiling layer, Maxima possesses a brilliant dispersion of light.
​
Furthermore, there are colors in every shade of the rainbow to choose. Moreover, effects and special coatings broaden the color selection. Effects are specialized coatings applied to the crystal to give rhinestones unique properties. The most popular of these is the AB which is an iridescent, rainbow-like coating.  With sizes ranging from the tiny 2ss to the large 40ss, design possibilities are endless. 

The Preciosa Rhinestones Brand Represents Tradition and Excellence
​

Today, there are many different manufacturers of crystal rhinestones. Each company has its own unique formula for creating sparkle. When looking for quality with hundreds of years of heritage, buy the Preciosa rhinestones brand. Their continued commitment to provide consumers with beautiful, eco-friendly products makes them an industry leader. When you want to capture attention in a bold and beautiful way, choose Preciosa.