The Swarovski Company was started 1895 in Austria. They were known for their mastery of crystal cutting. The became especially known in the 1940’s and 1950’s as they started making huge rhinestone brooches. The clarity and designs quickly became something any fashionable woman had to have. Frogs, starfish, flowers, and fruit were some of the themes.

Besides incredible crystal jewelry they also made beads that have been sold all over the world to jewelers. Sadly, a few years ago they stopped selling loose components and have focused on their own finished pieces.

The upshot is you can no longer find their beautiful beads. This is a very long winded way of saying this earring has the last of my beads. A black faceted ‘flower’ with a gold, ringed spike keeps these simple .