CLEAR gemstones are the most versatile choice for jewelry as they complement any and every outfit. While they may not have a color of their own, clear gems add beauty to your looks by refracting light, lending their glitter and sparkle to every set of attire irrespective of color.
RHINESTONES are clear. RHINESTONES are colorless.
They are made from rock, crystal, glass or acrylic.
White Sapphire
Rock Crystal
Glass
Clear Quartz
Acrylic
White Diamond
White Spinel
Rhinestone
Originally, rhinestones were rock crystals gathered from the river 'Rhine' hence the name, although some where also found in areas like the Alps. The availability was greatly increased in the 18th century when the Alsatian jeweler Georg Friedrich Strass had the idea to imitate diamonds by coating the lower side of glass with metal powder. Consequently, rhinestones are called Strass in many European languages.
Rhinestones come in different shapes, sizes, and colors and often have foil backings. Some designers even manage to reproduce the glistening effect real diamonds have in the sun.
Crystal rhinestones are produced mainly in Austria by Swarovski and in the Czeck Republic by Preciosa and a few other glassworks in northern Bohemia. In the U.S., these are sometimes called Austrian Crystal.
