So how do you tell a real Swarovski® from an imitation?

Swarovski® Crystal components are regarded as the highest quality machine cut and polished crystal in the world. The demand for luxury products unfortunately can create a host of imitators.

The Swarovski® company creates its crystal with a special compound that imitators cannot duplicate. This special compound creates the incredible brilliance of their product. The delicate colour palette is another quality that sets Swarovski® crystal components apart from others.

With so many crystals and components out there, how can you tell if the crystal you are purchasing is actually a Swarovski® crystal component....or an imitation?

Here are some tips that can help you determine which crystals are genuine:

1. Swarovski® crystals are perfectly uniform. Since they are machine cut, each crystal is the same. This means that the height, width and slope are consistent. A hand polished imitator crystal will not have as uniform a cut. You may also notice different dimensions from crystal to crystal.

2. Swarovski® uses machinery that precisely cuts each crystal. According to Swarovski®, "cutting hard materials such as crystal and gems, in such a way that they have a hundred identical facets in several directions, is a very complicated task; each direction of the reflected light must first be calculated by computer, then this has to be simulated in 3D, optimized and finally converted into control programs for complex machinery." This is just part of the technology that gives Swarovski® crystals their unbelievable flash.

3. The precision cutting of Swarovski® machinery allows each crystal to have its facet juncture "pointing up". This means the facet junctures all meet at precisely the same point. This is a similar aspect of diamond faceting. See the illustration above.

4. AB finish Swarovski® crystals have a uniform surface luster. The "imitations" often have scratches unless stated as seconds. Some of these imperfections, in the "imposters", have to do with the lower quality of the finish.

5. Because of its special crystal compounds, Swarovski® crystal will out-sparkle a crystal of lesser quality when placed in a side-by-side comparison.