There are many types of rhinestones on the market, and we often hear of Swarovski rhinestones, Austrian diamonds, resin rhinestones, acrylic rhinestones, and more. Even though these two types of stones look alike from a distance, the quality is very different. What exactly is this difference?

This article introduces five methods for judging the quality of rhinestones, from materials and production methods. Knowing these tips can help you find the most suitable product when purchasing or wholesaling a rhinestone.

What a  rhinestone is?

First, let’s get an understanding of what a rhinestone is.

According to Wikipedia’s definition, a rhinestone is a diamond simulant made of crystal. After the 19th century, this crystal glass or acrylic material was created.

These commonly used terms, such as Swarovski rhinestones, Austrian diamonds, and acrylic rhinestones, are different synthetic diamonds. In order to decorate a variety of clothing, jewelry, accessories, etc., people make artificial diamonds and gave the accessories a shiny, high-quality appearance.

Therefore, we can also say that these rhinestones are substitutes for diamonds, and the difference is the extent to which they have replaced diamonds. Some have 80% of diamond’s characteristics (including hardness, cut, and reflection), while others only have similar appearance and texture.

How do we judge the quality of rhinestones?

If you have experience in purchasing rhinestones, you may have encountered this situation: the rhinestones are made of the same materials, the size and color of these are the same, but why is the price is so different? How do you judge their quality?

“The devil is hidden in the details.” If you can understand the method of judging the quality of rhinestones, you can understand the difference between price and quality, and pick the most suitable rhinestone!

Of course, different materials of rhinestones have different judgment methods. Next, we will explain how to judge the quality of acrylic rhinestones.

Introduction to acrylic rhinestone

Acrylic rhinestones are made of acrylic (PMMA, polymethyl methacrylate) and molded through plastic molds. The acrylic material has the advantages of high transparency, low price, and easy machining, so it is used as a material for making plastic rhinestones.

In Yiwu , China, there are a few factories that produce acrylic rhinestones, and each of them produce different rhinestones.

Therefore, having a basic knowledge of acrylic rhinestones and the method of judging their quality is very important for the purchaser.

Five methods for judging the quality of acrylic rhinestones

1. The brightness of the rhinestone is related to raw materials, molds, and injection technology

The reason why rhinestones are bright and flickering is because of the high transmittance of acrylic materials. In addition, the light is incident on the bottom of the product and is formed by the radiance of the different cut surfaces.

We use rhinestones because of their flickering characteristics like diamonds, which are decorated in clothing or accessories to make the accessories shine. Therefore, the degree of reflection of the rhinestone is what we can observe. Generally, a better quality rhinestone has a higher degree of reflection and translucency.

2. Is the cutting/cutting surface of the rhinestone flat?
If you do not have direct access to the original manufacturer, you can find this out from the appearance of the rhinestone.
Since the shine of the rhinestone is caused by the refraction of light, if the surface is flat, the refracted light is relatively bright and shiny, so are you able to take a closer look at the sharpness of the cut surface of the rhinestone? Is the surface flat?

3. Is the injection gate (injection port) smooth?

The interface of the edge of the acrylic rhinestone is the injection gate that will inevitably be produced during the injection molding process. If the injection gate is not properly treated, burrs may occur, which may easily puncture and scratch the skin. Therefore, you can touch the edge of the acrylic rhinestone to determine whether the gate is smooth and flat. If the gate is smooth and flat, the quality of the acrylic rhinestone is better.

4. Will the silver back peel off easily?

The injection molded acrylic rhinestone is completely transparent and does not exhibit a shimmering luster. Therefore, the semi-finished product after the injection will be electroplated and a silver back is plated on the bottom of the product to make the rhinestone shine.
There are also differences in the techniques and methods of electroplating the silver back. Some use vacuum plating, while others use a hot-rolled silver back, and some add a layer of protective paint. In different ways, the firmness of the silver back is different. You can try to scratch the bottom to determine if it is easy to peel off.

5. Is the color injected with original color or dye?

Acrylic rhinestones are colorful and suitable for different styles. The color of the rhinestone is formed in different ways. Some rhinestones’ colors are formed by post-process dyeing; some are the primary color (i.e., It’s the color from production).

If it is dyed, the color is unstable and fades, and the color of each batch is difficult to control accurately, but the advantage is that almost all colors are achievable through dyeing and at a lower price. If the primary color is injected, the color is more consistent and stable, and do not fade easily.

The above is a brief introduction to rhinestones and acrylic rhinestones. With this initial understanding, next time when you select a rhinestone, you can better judge the quality and choose the most suitable product.

Of course, different materials and the quality of rhinestones have different prices. It is recommended to know the quality requirements and budget for rhinestones before purchasing. If you don’t have a high budget, but you want to have the sparkling texture of Swarovski crystals, high-quality acrylic rhinestones are a good choice too.

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Source:Yiwu Oleeya Garment Accessories Factory