Who Is … Swarovski ?

 

This is the first foray in to my new series “who is …..” . Each post will look at a well known jewellery brand, where it came from, it’s history and is it still around etc. the next post will have a prize or two from that brand. My first post will look at Swarovski,  the largest jewellery brand in the world. .

Daniel Swarovski founded the Swarovski company in 1895. It is a family owned and run business, employing over  29,000 employees in over 170 countries with over 3,000 shops. Their products fall into 3 categories: Swarovski Crystal Business which covers jewellery, they are the biggest jewellery company worldwide, crystals, rhinestones, glass ornaments and accessories;Swarovski Optik which makes telescopes and telescopic sights for rifles and binoculars and Tyrolit which manufactures and sells grinding and drilling tools. 

Daniel Swarovski was born in 1862 in a small village in Northern Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). He trained as a glass cutter and in 1892 patented a cutting machine that creates crystal glass. 

In 1885 Swarovski, financier Armand Osmann and Franz Weis established Swarovski which was originally called A Osmann, D Swarovski and Co, shortened to to KS & Co,  they established a crystal cutting factory in Wattens, Austria. In 1919 Tyrolit was established bringing together all the grinding and cutting machinery from the crystal business into a wider market.  In 1935 Swarovski’s son, Wilhelm adapted a pair of binoculars and in 1949 Optik was born. 

Obviously it is not fair to look a the history and origins of Swarovski without considering where they were situated and the dates. Tyrol/ Wattens supported Nazism and Hitler, there was a march there in 1938 and at least 6 of the Swarovski family were ardent supporters of the then illegal party prior to the annexation of Austria in 1938. 

Swarovski benefitted from their support for Nazi Germany, the size of the company almost doubled during the war period and it expanded its product lines to include telescopes, binoculars and other optical devices for example. Swarovski has not granted historians access to their files so the true extent of their support for Hitler and the benefits gained from this is not known. 

So from this brief history, Swarovski’s history is rather murky. It is the largest jewellery brand in the world but although it is famous and well known for crystals it has success in other areas too. 

Swarovski: Disney's Belle and the Enchanted Rose

 This week Swarovski unveiled their sparkling interpretation of Beauty and the Beast - Belle and the Enchanted Rose. Released to coincide/ celebrate the release of the live action film Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson, this collection is the sparkliest (as one would expect as it is Swarovski) and includes a hair pin, ball point pens, jewellery and ornaments.

The jewellery is Atelier Swarovski so is the higher end, more expensive range. All the jewellery is hand set with Swarovski crystals. The hair pin is the most affordable at £45 and is the shape of a rose set with red and green crystals. More expensive items include a Victorian style choker with a hand set crystal rose (£349), pendant, clip on earrings and a ring. They are all premised around a rose rather than Belle and the Beast so aimed more at the adult market as they don't scream Disney when you see them. They are understated and elegant whilst staying true to the rose in the film.

The Crystalline Lady Ball Point Pens (£25 each or £46 for the pair) would make a great gift for any Disney/Belle fan.  The yellow pen has a picture of Belle embossed on it and has 540 yellow (to match her dress) crystals in it. The other has a picture of the Rose and is filled with red crystals.

The most affordable ornament is the Enchanted Rose (£109).  Measuring 9 x 6.2 x 6.2 cm, the rose is made out of 230 red and green crystals and housed in a glass bell jar.  Belle Limited Edition 2017 is made out of clear and yellow crystal and 450 clear and yellow crystals (£349).  Measuring 13 x 11.3 x 9.5 cm she is the perfect princess.  The Beauty and the Beast - Enchanted Rose Limited Edition 2017  (£1,595,00) is a rose made out 400 crystals and the bell jar is  replica of the one featuring in he 2017 movie.  There are only 350 pieces, individually numbered, worldwide and it comes in a premium blue box with letter of authenticity.
The most glittering and eye-catching item out of all the pieces is the limited edition Beauty and the Beast 2017.  Made out of 57,355 hand set crystals it features the main two characters - Beauty and the Beast.  There are only 250 pieces, individually numbered, worldwide and it comes in a blue suitcase with  letter of authenticity. The dimensions are 22 x 24 x  17 cm.






Available from: http://www.swarovski.com/Mob_GB/en/search?search_query_keyword=BATB