Swarovski's world headquarters and factory are located in Wattens, Austria. The manufactured crystal is a mixture of natural minerals and quartz sand that is fired, then cooled slowly to avoid stress and inclusions. Various parts of a crystal object are joined together using a special glue that doesn't yellow with age. This ensures that the joints don't become visible over time, and the crystal piece remains clear indefinitely.
Crystal and glass collectibles usually lose most or all of their value when not mint. However, some condition issues like parts coming loose or very small chips can often be repaired with little or no adverse effect on value, as long as the work is done by a professional. Do-it-yourself repairs, including "simple" glue jobs, are possibly the worst thing anyone can do to a collectible. If repair services are not available from Swarovski, independent glassware and crystal restorers are an excellent option for gluing back pieces that have come apart. I've personally gone to Mark Harrington in San Francisco and was very pleased with their work. For seriously damaged pieces, either chipped or broken, professional restorers may be able to replace broken parts or grind down the crystal to essentially remove the chip mark. Keep in mind the nature and location of the damage as well as the piece's design may make the repair either impossible or too expensive to be worthwhile. In an article that appeared on the Swarovski website, Diane Carnevale Jones recommends two restoration companies: The Crystal Cave (Wilmette, Illinois) and China and Crystal Clinic (Tempe, Arizona). In a resale situation, documentation from a reputable restorer goes a long way toward mitigating the negative effect on value of a piece that is not in its original state.
So-called "fair market values" reflect how much collectors are willing to pay for a piece at a given time. I don't list any prices on these pages because my primary intent is to showcase the beauty of Swarovski crystal. I have no qualifications as an appraiser but will be happy to offer my opinion on current Swarovski prices. If you have questions about what a retired piece may be worth today or its original retail price, leave me a note in my guestbook. I always reply to messages that I receive. If you see no response from me within two days or so, please look in your spam box. Remember that if you make a typing error in your e-mail address, there's no way for me to reach you. To protect your privacy, I hide all guestbook entries as soon as I receive them.
If some of my pictures show up on sites like eBay as part of an item description, what you see is NOT the advertised object and I am NOT the seller. Please exercise caution when you're looking to buy.
Swarovski decorative product ranges include Home Accessories, Silver Crystal, Jewelry, and the high-end Daniel Swarovski Objects.
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Slideshow Designer Signing Events Home
Green Macaw |
Red Cockatoo |
Toucan |
Green Rosella |
Kingfishers |
Bee-eaters |
Roller |
Woodpeckers |
Surgeonfish |
Batfish |
Butterflyfish |
Seahorses |
Sea Goldies |
Pearl Oyster |
French Angelfish |
Emperor Angelfish |
Panther |
Dolphins |
Lion, Golden Shadow |
Bull |
Bear |
Swan |
Swan, Jet |
Posacenere |
Petit Vase |
"Euclid" Caviar Bowl |
"Shiva" Box |
"Colorado" Bowl |
"Apollo" Bowl |
"Astro" Box |
"Wa" Bowl |
"Toh" Vase |
Star |
Waterlily Candleholder |
Blue Flower |
Solaris |
Comet |
Chaton, large |
Chaton, small |
Bunch of Grapes |
Giant Pineapple |
Giant Tortoise |
Giant Owl |
Maxi Swan |
Maxi Dolphin |
Chaton |
Dambulla |
Domoni |
Dalmally |
Dindori |
Dorora |
Dacali |
Damboa |
Dillia |
Dalisa |
Damarys |
Dacea |
Dellaria |
Darigold |
Drina |
Deoria |
Danuba |
The name Silver Crystal was coined in the mid- to late 1980's by a Swarovski craftsman who commented on "the silvery glow created by the object's spectral brilliance" when holding up a finished, faceted piece to the light. The crystal contains no trace of silver. A design team that has grown from about seven members to a dozen in 2008 regularly contributes to the Silver Crystal range.
Lute |
Harp |
Grand Piano |
Violin |
Saxophone |
Apple |
Pear |
Pineapple, large |
Pineapple, small |
Grapes, small |
The Rose |
The Orchid, yellow |
The Orchid, pink |
Four-Leaf |
Maxi Flower |
Waterlily, large |
Waterlily, small |
Orchid Blossom |
Orchids |
Rose Blossom |
Roses |
Hummingbird |
Mare |
Stallion |
Foals |
Siamese Fighting Fish |
Siamese Fighting Fish |
Baby Sea Turtles |
School of Fish |
Lion Fish |
Blowfish, small |
Shell with Pearl |
South Sea Shell |
Butterfly Fish |
Three |
Baby Shark |
Dolphin |
Baby Dolphin |
Longnose |
Hermit Crab |
Sea Horses |
Baby |
Mother Sea Lion |
Polar Bear |
Seal, large |
Penguin, large |
Penguin, mini |
Baby Penguins |
Owl, large |
Fox, mini |
Mushrooms or |
Fawn |
Doe |
Grizzly |
Grizzly Cub |
Stag |
Hedgehog, |
Hedgehog, |
Rabbit, mini |
Butterfly, large |
Sparrow |
Rooster, mini |
Hen, mini |
Chicks, mini |
Mother Goose |
Mother Goose |
Swan, large |
Ducks |
Drake, mini |
Duck, swimming |
Duck, standing |
Mallard |
Frog |
Bird Bath |
Dove |
Silver Heron |
Flamingo |
Spoonbill |
Baby Lovebirds |
Bald Eagle |
Malachite |
Budgies |
Swan |
Mandarin Ducks |
Swallows |
Hoopoes |
Ibex |
Koala |
Tiger |
Cobra |
Cheetah |
Leopard |
Baby Giraffe |
Giraffe |
Mother Elephant |
Little Elephant |
Gnu |
Zebra |
Camel |
Arabian Stallion |
White Stallion |
Dragon |
Unicorn |
Santa María |
Sailboat |
Sailing Legend |
Locomotive |
Wagon Carriage |
Tender Car |
Oldtimer |
Aeroplane |
Ballerina |
Young Ballerina |
Rocking Horse |
Bear, small |
Birds' Nest |
Flowering Cactus |
Blue Flower |
Treasure Box |
Treasure Box |
Oriental Flacon |
Rose Flacon |
Napoleon Flacon |
Sweet Heart |
Sweet Heart |
Vase |
Table Bell, medium |
Solaris Table Bell |
The Swarovski Crystal Society or SCS – formerly the Swarovski Collectors Society – and the Annual Edition figurines were started in 1987. Each year's design is selected out of several prototypes submitted by the creative team and conforms to "themes" spanning three-year periods. Swarovski has, at least for now, done away with the trilogy concept but is continuing the endangered wildlife theme with the SCS Annual Edition 2011 Polar Bear Siku and 2012 Whale Paikea.
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Caring and Sharing (1987-1989) |
The Lovebirds |
The Woodpeckers |
The Turtledoves |
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Mother and Child (1990-1992) |
The Dolphins |
The Seals |
The Whales |
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Inspiration Africa (1993-1995) |
The Elephant |
The Kudu |
The Lion |
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Fabulous Creatures (1996-1998) |
The Unicorn |
The Dragon |
The Pegasus |
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Masquerade (1999-2001) |
Pierrot |
Columbine |
Harlequin |
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Magic of Dance (2002-2004) |
Isadora |
Antonio |
Anna |
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Wonders of the Sea (2005-2007) |
Harmony |
Eternity |
Community |
SCS trilogy gift |
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Endangered Wildlife (2008-2010) |
Pandas |
Gorillas |
Tiger |
SCS trilogy gift |
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Independent Annual Editions |
Polar Bear Siku |
Whale Paikea |
The Eagle was the first Numbered Limited Edition, released in 1995. The Peacock followed in 1998 and the Wild Horses in 2001. Although the edition size of 10,000 worldwide is extremely large, the quality and artistry of the designs have made them very successful. The level of interest from collectors seems to have dropped significantly for the more recent editions, undoubtedly due to the economic recession being felt around the world.
The Black Bull, issued in 2005, is the first Limited Designer Edition. The opaque, jet black color is rarely matched by other crystal manufacturers and gives the piece a dramatic effect that makes it especially desirable, despite the fact the very same design in clear crystal – the Bull – was released the previous year. Designer Adi Stocker hand-signed every Black Bull in the edition of 1,000.
The Eagle |
The Peacock |
Wild Horses |
The Bull |
The Elephant |
The Rhinoceros |
The Bald Eagle |
The Black Bull |
Black |
Panther |
The technical advances of the last several years allow ever more complex designs. In a 2007 online collector survey, I submitted a few ambitious ideas for future limited edition pieces that I hope will materialize someday:
Water and Grace or Winged Vision – Swan splash landing with spread wings and
spraying water effect
A Whisker Away – Lynx leaping after a duck or a hare
Cutting Corners – Gazelle's evasive maneuver with cheetah in pursuit
The Commemorative Editions are limited to the year they are issued. Anton Hirzinger's Centenary Swan marked the Swarovski 100-year anniversary in 1995 and the Crystal Planet was the Millennium Edition. The Anniversary Editions of the Crystal Society, or SCS Jubilee Editions, are issued once every five years, beginning with Gabriele Stamey's Birthday Cake in 1992.
The Birthday Cake |
The Squirrel |
The Vase of Roses |
The Collector |
Dragon |
Centenary Swan |
Crystal Planet |
Panda Cub |
Gorilla Cub |
Tiger Cub sitting |
Polar Bear Cubs |
Gecko |
Blue Dart Frog |
Galapagos Tortoise |
Arctic Hare |
SCS Ornament |
SCS Ornament |
SCS Ornament |
There are several Christmas Ornament series produced by Swarovski. Perhaps most popular is the star and snowflake ornament series, which began in 1991 with the Annual Edition Star by Hilde Nagler.
Star |
Snowflake |
Star |
Snowflake |
Star |
Snowflake |
Star |
Snowflake |
Star |
Star |
Stellar Snowflake |
Stellar Snowflake |
Stellar Snowflake |
Stellar Snowflake |
Star |
Snowflake |
Star |
Snowflake |
Star |
Snowflake |
Star |
