A Quick Guide to Prices Of bedazzling Gems

What Are the Factors that Determine Rhinestone Prices?

​Bedazzling is a hot fashion trend turning an ordinary item into something spectacular. Yet, when you’re looking to buy crystals online, you’ll find different brands, colors, and sizes with varying costs. Generally, the product’s distinguishing characteristics determine the rhinestone prices.
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How Rhinestone Characteristics Help Determine Pricing

While name brands offer familiarity with quality, they often come with a steeper price. Often, you can find a lower priced product with good quality. Knowing a bit about crystal bling can help you find a good rhinestone at a competitive price. Generally, retailers base pricing on the following factors:

• Brand/Material
• Facets
• Color
• Size
• Shape

First, some materials cost more to make due to their raw materials and production. For example, crystal requires a specific, intricate process that’s labor-intensive. Hence, crystal rhinestones are the most expensive, followed by glass and plastic (this includes acrylic, jelly, and resin).

Secondly, rhinestones use facets to create the play of light. Generally, more facets mean increased light performance and greater sparkle. Rhinestone manufacturers create facets by machine cutting or through molding.

Typically, manufacturers of higher quality rhinestones use machines to cut facets. This process allows high precision cuts with perfectly aligned facet alignment for optimal light reflection. Comparatively, manufacturers also produce molded rhinestones at a higher volume rate, minimizing cost.

Next, color is a determining factor in rhinestone prices. Usually, most manufacturers create standard colors like reds, yellows, blues, and greens. Additionally, many brands use a special coating to create a rainbow effect over standard hues. Sometimes, companies may also use special surface or backside coatings to create a metallic or multi-color effect. Often, the processes used in making these unique colors increase the cost.

Finally, the size and shape of the crystal will affect the price. Obviously, a larger size rhinestone will use more material than a smaller one. While shaped crystals require unique, intricate cuts. Furthermore, many manufacturers only create shaped rhinestones in larger sizes.
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Hotfix, Flatback, Sew-on, or Pointed Back Rhinestones?

When you’re looking to buy rhinestones, you’ll see them grouped by hotfix, flatback, sew-on, or pointed back. What can be confusing is that flatbacks, hotfix, and sew-on, all have a flat side. Only pointed backs have depth on both sides.

Hotfix rhinestones have an adhesive attached to the flat side of the embellishment. To activate the glue, you heat the crystal to a temperature range of 250° F - 340° F. The glue will melt into a liquid and then solidify after cooling to form a permanent bond. You can attach hotfix rhinestones using a heat press, hotfix wand applicator, or non-steam iron. Typically, hotfix rhinestone prices are slightly higher than flatbacks. 

Sew-on rhinestones are exactly as their name implies. Some rhinestones have holes drilled into the sides of the embellishment while others have a hole in the middle. Another type of sew-on rhinestone is the montee. These are rhinestones in settings with channels on the back for sewing. Generally, sew-on rhinestones cost more than flatbacks too.

Normally, most craftsmen use pointed back rhinestones in jewelry making. Sometimes, manicurists will also use smaller pointed back rhinestones in nail design. Although comparable in price to flatbacks, you’ll have fewer color selections.
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Finally, the most popular type of rhinestone is the flatback. Suitable for many projects, this type of rhinestone requires an adhesive. Your choice of glue depends upon the object to which you’re attaching the rhinestone. 
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​Buying Bulk Helps Reduce Rhinestone Prices

Often, you can also save money by buying rhinestones in bulk packaging. Usually, these quantities are direct from the manufacturer without the need for the retailer to count or repackage the bedazzling crystals. Rhinestone retailers will pass these savings on to the consumer.

Generally, less expensive brand retailers will sell rhinestones by weight so the number of pieces can vary. Comparatively, brand name rhinestone manufacturers have specific bulk quantities:

• 3ss-20ss sizes are available in a 10 gross (1440 pieces) package size
• 30ss is available in a 2 gross (288 pieces) package size
• 34ss-40ss is available in a 1 gross (144 pieces) package size
• 48ss is available in an 8 dozen (96 pieces) package size

​Selling embellishments since 2011, Rhinestones Etc. wants to help you create beautiful bling projects.  We share informative articles like this one to help consumers choose rhinestone sizes, colors, and brands.  If you liked our discussion of rhinestone types, share it with your friends.