rhinestone

A rhinestone is a small, faceted imitation gemstone designed to resemble a diamond. It is typically made from glass, crystal, or acrylic and is often backed with foil to enhance its sparkle. Rhinestones are widely used in costume jewelry, clothing, and decorative crafts.

The name rhinestone derives from the Rhine region of Europe, where natural rock crystals found along the river were once collected as inexpensive substitutes for diamonds. In the 18th century, glassmakers in Bohemia and elsewhere produced cut stones called paste or rhinestones to imitate diamonds. The term has since covered a range of cut glass and crystal stones, including early lead-glass varieties and the later Austrian and German crystal traditions such as Strass.

Modern rhinestones come in glass, crystal, and acrylic variants. Many are cut with multiple facets for maximum brilliance and may be backed with foil or given coatings, such as the Aurora Borealis (AB) finish, to produce color shifts. Swarovski crystals are among the best-known high-quality examples of crystal rhinestones.

Rhinestones are used to decorate apparel, shoes, bags, stage costumes, and crafts. They are fixed by heat-setting, prongs, or various adhesives. Cleaning should be gentle to preserve facet surfaces and any coatings.