Swarovski Crystal Beads, Finishes & Effects, Part 1

There are almost an endless supply of great colors and styles from Swarovski.  This guide is to help explain some of the great finishes Swarovski makes and some unique things to be looking for when searching for finishes.

Bead Finishes

Swarovski Crystal produces finishes in three to four different types in large production quantities.  Other finishes and effect will be included in the next guide and are produced in smaller quantities.  The color, or regular finish, the AB, AB-2X, and the SATIN.  There can also be many combinations and limited production or vintage beads that we will discuss in the next guide.

1. COLOR (regular finish) - these are the crystals most of us are familiar with.  They come in a large variety of colors, sizes, and shapes (or components).  Some popular colors include LIGHT SIAM , PERIDOT , ROSE , and many more.  The regular colors are staples in Swarovski Crystal (also known as Austrian Crystal), and can usually be found on a color chart from your seller.  The color finish beads can be found in the plain color and also a light version but keep in mind, not all colors have a corresponding light version that is being produced.  An example of this would be EMERALD  and LIGHT EMERALD .
   
   
   
   5301 Cobalt Blue  color
   
   
2. AB (aurora borealis) - this finish is where a color has been coated with a finish called AB.  The AB finish is an outside coating on an existing crystal color that covers about half of the crystal face.  When you turn the crystal you will see the crystal color on one side and the AB finish on the other.  If the crystal has many surfaces like the SPACERS (5040's)  the reflection will appear as you turn the crystal.  The reflection is best described as a rainbow effect as you turn the bead.
   
   As with the light color, the AB's are not made in all colors and some are only produced for a short period of time and then not again.  Some current examples of the AB finishes are: KHAKI AB , TURQUOISE AB  (as seen below), and FUCHSIA AB .  These AB finishes are a little more expensive than the color crystals because of the extra process they go through during production, but they have a brilliant shine to them.
   
   
   5301 Turquoise AB
   
   
3. AB-2X (aurora borealis, two times) - this finish can be described as a two times coating of the AB.  As I mentioned above, the AB is a finish on about half of the crystal.  The AB-2X covers the entire crystal, and is the same outside coating of an original color just as the AB.  These, like the AB are not made in all colors and sizes.  This is a more rare type of finish than the AB and is also more expensive than the AB.  An example of a crystal made in all three; color, AB, and AB-2X would be a color like the FUCHSIA AB 2X  but there are many more.
   
   
   5301 Garnet AB 2X
   
   
4. SATIN - the SATIN finish is a very unique looking type of color and it may or may not qualify as a finish by some.  This is not a coating on the outside of the crystal, but rather a deeper, more saturated look, that is produced by Swarovski when the crystal is manufactured.  Using the same example as above, the FUCHSIA SATIN  color is also made in this unique finish.
   
   
   5301 Peridot  SATIN
   

Please don't forget to vote on our guide if you found it helpful.  Where you looking for something else?  Just let us know.  We specialize in Swarovski Crystal Beads and if you didn't find what you are looking for here, we can probably point you in the right direction.  Go to our contact us from eBay above (user ID minordtails) or visit our ebay store for the largest variety of color and components at http://stores.ebay.com/Minor-Details .  We offer great prices and shipping discounts, ship within 24 hours, and we are continually adding new colors and components.

Our other guides and some new guides coming soon:

Swarovski Crystal Beads, Finishes & Effects, Part 1 (basic finishes and effects produced)
Swarovski Crystal Beads, Finishes & Effects, Part 2  (effects and combinations of each)
Swarovski® Crystal Beads, Limited & Out of Production  (special production items, limited or vintage)
Real Swarovski® Crystal Beads or Fake Glass? Part 1
Real Swarovski® Crystal Beads or Fake Glass? Part 2
Swarovski Bead Article Component Numbers, and Their Meaning
New Swarovski Crystal Bead Colors and Component Releases
Hole Sizes for Swarovski Crystal Beads and Components
Swarovski Bead Diagrams, Shapes, Sizes, Cuts
How to Take Great Photographs of your Crystals or Finished Pieces
How to Shop Smart for Swarovski on eBay
Wire Gauge Comparisons
Differences in Jump Rings and Split Rings
Jewelry Clasp Types
Head Pins and Eye Pins

[ALL images & text are ©2007 Minor Detail, Inc.  Image theft is taken very seriously, please do not use any of our images without permission.  The Swarovski® name is a trademark name and as stated in their copyright information, our company only sells finished pieces manufactured by Swarovski® themselves, any use of the name corresponds to an actual Swarovski® product.]