Swarovski, the Austrian jeweller known for his cut glass crystals, is preparing for the launch of natural diamonds. “We believe in natural diamonds and we want to tell a positive story,” the company said at a session on sustainable development organized by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Swarovski plans to start using its new “sustainable sourced diamonds” within a year, the company said. The company plans to polish raw diamonds at its base in Austria and will also purchase polished products from third parties for its current collections.
In 2016, the company launched a range of lab grown diamonds which, it said, was motivated by the claim that lab grown products have a better sustainability profile than natural diamonds. It is currently working on new lab based collections with designers Stephen Webster and Prince Dimitri.
Swarovski is a family business founded in 1895 that produces and sells crystal, natural gemstones, lab grown stones and finished products such as jewellery, accessories and lighting solutions.
About Swarovski
Swarovski AG is an Austrian company that mainly produces luxury products. In addition to the more well-known crystal processing department, the company also produces binoculars, telescopes and sight glasses under the name Swarovski Optik, abrasives and drills under the name Tyrolit.
Daniel Swarovski was born in Bohemia in the Czech Republic on 24 October 1862, the son of a glassmaker. Swarovski was immersed in craftsmanship from a very early age; in 1892, he even obtained a patent for a new cutting machine, which reduced the time required to produce crystal glass.
In 1895, he founded Swarovski with Armand Kosman and Franz Weis, initially called A. Kosman, Daniel Swartz & Co. (later abbreviated to K.S. & Co.). The company used locally produced hydroelectric power for energy-intensive processes such as grinding.
Today, the company is no longer in the hands of Daniel Swarovski’s family, but the family is represented on the board of directors by Daniel’s great-granddaughter, Nadja Swarovski.
The brand is often synonymous with luxury products, such as crystal sculptures, jewellery and haute couture. Each sculpture bears the company’s logo: originally it was an edelweiss, today it is the image of a swan.
The company also has its own museum, Swarovski Kristallwelten in Wattens. In the museum, everything is dominated by crystals and crystal processing.
