Crystal – Royal & Aesthetic Forever

The very mention of crystal brings a smile to my face. Being an ardent admirer of this beautiful mineral, I have always been keen to know more about its history. So, looked up for it on the web, and discovered few interesting facts.

The history of crystal dates back to the Mesopotamian times. Thousands of years ago, artisans used lead oxide to enhance the brilliance of glass. Expensiveness and hardness of the mineral led to the use of lead oxide as an easy alternative to its rock form.

It was in the year 1676 that George Ravenscroft brought about a sea-change in this process. He invented new methods of adding lead oxide to make crystal. Advanced forms of the same are being used by jewelry makers all over the world today.

In 1892, one man changed the use of this mineral forever. David Swarovski, founder of the world-renowned jewelry brand, invented a machine to cut stones perfectly. While working in Austria, he used the Rhine River as the source of energy for his company's machinery. It is from here that the word 'rhinestone' came into being. Today, the term rhinestone is globally used for leaded crystal, especially the imported ones.