CRYSTAL FANATICS CLUB

CRYSTAL FANATICS CLUB
CELEBRATING 15 YEARS !

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

All About the Swarovski Mo's

The Swarovski Mo's - Yes Cows! are all the rage amongst our Crystal Fanatics !
Most of them average 1-3/4 inches / 44mm long in size.

The Lovlots Collection Display, Compliments of one of Our Crystal Fanatics Club Members
© Copyright, Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.

The very first Mo was introduced in 2006 and nothing has been the same since.  Swarovski issued Missy Mo, a clear crystal faceted cow, in the first collection of Lovlots, at Paris Fashion Week.

More Mo's followed:  Pinky Mo took center stage in 2007, and in 2008, Soccer Mo, commemorating the European Masters Cup in Soccer between Austria and Switzerland, was made available in the host countries, as well as in the Swarovski Online Shop.

The Mo’s continued to grow in the 'West End district' of Lovlots City. Flower Mo, another Online Limited Edition was introduced in 2009, followed by Halloween Mo.  Then along came the Country Mos Online Limited Edition, the midsized Belle Mo, (retiring this year) in Lavender crystal with a floral motif, and the Glamour Mos in 2010.

The Lovlots 5th Birthday in January, 2011 was celebrated with a midsized Limited Edition Charming Mo with a removable heart charm.

The Sunshine Mo, again a Limited Online Edition, is only available for purchase at Swarovski Online. Designed in Jonquil crystal, she wears a necklace in tropical crystal colors.
The newest 2011 edition,dressed as Santa Claus all in red, is Santa Mo.

They are / were (as the case may be) all available on a first come, first served basis.

Among the Mo's are the coveted and much sought after 'Prototypes' - issues that were never sold to the public. They include the Alabaster Pinky Mo, given to Journalists at press & media events in 2007, much to the dismay of our Crystal Fanatics, and the RARE Golden Mo, issued in very small numbers. We're sure there are others to be found out there!
Of course, a few of our lucky Crystal Fanatics have managed to add these to their collections!

According to Swarovski, "The West End district of Lovlots City is leaving plenty of grazing space for more Mos to come!" 

At CrystalFanaticsClub.com, you will find Photos of ALL the Swarovski Mo's in our FABULOUS CFC Photo Galleries, featuring Photos in Full Color, the Swarovski Product Name, Product Number, Designer, Current Value, Year of Issue and Retirement (if applicable) for every issue. No More Need for Outdated Collector Books!

Come JOIN
The Crystal Fanatics
Crystal Fanatics Club
The Premier website For Collectors of Swarovski Crystal !

© Copyright 1999-2011. Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.

Monday, October 3, 2011

The Trimlite 'Gnomes'

Within the Swarovski Trimlite line, "The Gnome Family" theme group was released during the 1980's.  Swarovski demonstrated skill in the execution of the gnomes - delightful little figurines with round crystal bellies and goldtone faces, pointed goldtone hats, goldtone arms, hands, legs & feet.

These 6 issues were:

  • Trimlite Gnome Brother Playing Horn
  • Gnome Dancing Daughter
  • Gnome Laughing Brother
  • Gnome Laughing Sister
  • Gnome Mama
  • Gnome Papa

Gnome Papa and Mama are the tallest figurines, measuring 3.5" tall.  All the Trimlite Gnome children: Dancing Daughter, Laughing Sister, Brother Playing Horn, and Laughing Brother are smaller, measuring 2.5" high.

All the gnome children were issued BEFORE the gnome parents.  The children were introduced in 1983 at a retail price of $25 each.  They retired in 1988. 
The gnome parents were issued in 1985 at a retail price of $50 each and also retired in 1988.
Today, any one of these charming little gnomes can cost you up to $300 each on the secondary market.

Come JOIN The Crystal Fanatics to Learn MORE About Your Swarovski Collection.
http://www.CrystalFanaticsClub.com
Crystal Fanatics Club
The Premier website For Collectors of Swarovski Crystal


© Copyright 1999-2011. Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.
Originally Posted 8-8-11
Re-posted 10-3-11

Sunday, October 2, 2011

The 1986 Swarovski Christmas Ornaments

Swarovski used a Crystal teardrop component for the 1984, 1987, 1989 Swarovski Christmas Ornaments, and on some of the 1986 Swarovski 'Holiday Etchings' ornies, issued by Giftware Suite.

In 1984, a RARE Fleur De Lis ornament was issued on a teardrop component & in 1985, etched trees were used.

There are 11 'known' 1986 Holiday Etchings & you never know when more of them will be found. These 11 'Holiday Etchings' are among the rarest of Swarovski Ornaments.

There were 4 Angels, 3 Bells, a Dove,  Holly,  a Snowflake design, and a Peace ornament on various shapes.   The  limited editions have the year 1986 etched on them below the featured design & come packaged in white velvet bags in white Giftware Suite boxes.   The product numbers on the boxes are 5 digit numbers, beginning with "9".  They were only available in the USA at the time of production, making them more sought after by our Crystal Fanatics.



These ornaments were also produced with the same design and shape, but do NOT include the etched 1986 on them; therefore, they are not considered Limited Editions.  They were issued by Kristallwelten & sometimes found packaged in red, blue, or green vinyl-like boxes.



Other corporations have also been known to utilize the Teardrop component ornament as a promotional item for their firm.

Note to our Crystal Fanatics: if 1986 Swarovski Ornaments are on your Christmas Wish List, and you want the Limited Editions, make sure the etched 1986 is visible on the ornament. Truthfully, I'd be happy to have any of these issues.

Merry Christmas!  :)

At CrystalFanaticsClub.com, you will find Photos of ALL the Swarovski Christmas Ornaments in our FABULOUS CFC Photo Galleries, featuring Photos in Full Color, the Swarovski Product Name, Product Number, Designer, Current Value, Year of Issue and Retirement (if applicable) for every issue.

Come JOIN
The Crystal Fanatics
Crystal Fanatics Club
The Premier website For Collectors of Swarovski Crystal !

© Copyright 1999-2011. Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

The Swarovski Boxes

About the Swarovski Boxes

The controversy rages on among Crystal Fanatics about whether or not to keep and store the Boxes (packaging) used to protect the Swarovski Crystal inside. The concensus of opinion among collectors is to keep the boxes.
Some say having the 'complete package' adds value to the piece. Others balk at the space taken up by storing the boxes, and the time involved in keeping yet another inventory of where they are located.

The earliest Swarovski boxes are the gray cylinders with the old Swarovski Block (SC) logo.



Many had two removable plastic ends, some were also imprinted with the Old logo.

The block SC logo was replaced by the Swan logo in 1989 and the gray cylinders were modified to reflect this change with the Swan logo imprinted on them.


Again, some of the plastic ends have the Swarovski swan stamped on them. A further modification happened later on when only one end would open the box at the top of the cylinder because, over time, the dual plastic ends did not remain securely closed.

In 2002, Swarovski introduced new corporate colors in a dark navy blue & red in their retail stores, and the boxes were also changed to reflect the new colors. At first they were designed the same way as the old gray containers, with the Swan logo.


It should be noted by our collectors that the gray cylinder boxes, logos & certificates did not always match.  This is especially true during the transition period from the old to the new logo. It is not unusual to find the same product issued in a gray or blue box, as Swarovski used the old gray boxes until their stock was depleted, before using the newly designed blue cylinders.

Currently, the crystal is issued in square blue boxes (as shown) that the collectors do not like, as the 'Tab' that is used to open the box is sometimes hard to open, tears easily, and 'The Box' becomes less than perfect.

Many products were also issued in Square White Boxes.


Special boxes were designed for the AE's, Ltd, Editions, some Christmas issues, Annual Ornies, Lovlots, & the Happy Ducks, as well as in some other issues.


Many of us are hoping the new 'Crystal Forest' white design that is now replacing the dark navy & red interiors in Swarovski stores will also replace those Blue boxes!


Despite the familiar refrain we hear from our Crystal Fanatics all the time, but 'we collect crystal, not boxes', most agree that it is wise to save the packaging.

Come JOIN US! to Learn More about your Swarovski Crystal Collection
Crystal Fanatics Club


© Copyright 1999-2011. Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.
For Collectors of Swarovski Crystal 

P.S. This one is for You, George!  :)

Friday, September 30, 2011

The Swarovski Crystalograms are not widely known among Crystal Fanatics.  They are a work of art, designed by Hubert Weidinger, more well-known as “The Five by Weidinger”, & marketed by Swarovski Liechtenstein.  The unique design is applied by silk screen to the back of a piece of glass, building the image in reverse, & hand-set with Swarovski crystal stones.


Photo taken by one of our own Crystal Fanatics during CFC's 9th Anniversary Celebration
© Copyright 2011

Each of the Crystalograms have a primary theme and color:

  • Swarovski Air Crystalogram – Violet
  • Earth Crystalogram – Orange
  • Fire Crystalogram –Red
  • Nature Crystalogram –  Green
  • Water Crystalogram – Blue
The 5 Crystalograms were available in two different sizes, each issued as a limited edition. 
The smaller size is 12” square, limited to 4,999 units, decorated with approximately 400 crystal stones & retailed for $365.  
The larger size is 24.5” square, limited to 99 units, decorated with 1200 crystal stones and retailed for $5000.
 
The Swarovski Crystalograms were available from 1993 through 1997.  Each of them were issued with certs that are numbered, dated and signed.
 
You can SEE PHOTOS of all the Swarovski issues in our FABULOUS CFC PHOTO GALLERY!

Want to Learn More About your Swarovski Collection?
Come JOIN The Crystal Fanatics
http://www.CrystalFanaticsClub.com

The 'Official' Premier website For Collectors of Swarovski Crystal !


© Copyright  1999-2011. Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Swarovski Giftware Suite

Giftware Suite was a division of Swarovski during the 1980′s until 1992.
During this time, they issued Christmas Ornaments, useful Desk Accessories, some paperweights, pendants, & keychains.

Today, we'll concentrate on The Executive Desk Set & their related issues. There were two versions issued.
Version 1 is packaged in a wooden case & was issued in 1985.  


Version 2 comes in a leatherette case. 


Both versions were available with either red or green trim & retailed for $395.00.  It included a ball point pen, bookmark, letter opener, and card holder. They were issued with both the old SC block logo and the Swan logo.





Some of these were also issued separately.
The Giftware Suite letter opener was marketed and sold in three different colors: red, green and black & retailed for $70. Prototypes (not sold to the public) were also produced.

The Bookmark sold for $25 separately. The cardholder sold for $50.

Also sold in this line:
Bookends, a Letter Holder, a Memo Pad Holder, a Pen and Pencil Holder, the Ballpoint Pen on a Square Crystal holder, a Pencil Holder, a separate Mechanical Pencil also on a clear crystal base, a Tape Dispenser, and a Picture Frame. Each issue matched the design of the Executive Desk Set.



You can SEE PHOTOS of all these issues in our FABULOUS CFC PHOTO GALLERY!

Want to Learn More About your Swarovski Collection?
Come JOIN The Crystal Fanatics
http://www.CrystalFanaticsClub.com

The 'Official' Premier website For Collectors of Swarovski Crystal !


© Copyright 1999-2011. Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Swarovski Rabbits

We have approximately 34 different RABBITS issued by Swarovski in our CFC PHOTO GALLERIES.
They are in various shapes and forms, issued from different Swarovski product lines and Designers.
They include the Ltd Edition Hares, as well as the Chinese Zodiacs, and come from product categories old & new:  Crystal Memories, Silver Crystal, Trimlite, E&R (Ebling & Reuss), Lovlots, Jewelry, & Pointiage.

Today, we'll focus on the 'Chinese Zodiac' issues.
Swarovski Zodiac Rabbit – The first zodiac rabbit was issued in the Swarovski Silver Crystal product line, in the “Chinese Zodiacs” theme group. It is a smaller version, measuring about 1.25” in height, designed by Anton Hirzinger. Introduced in 2003 and retired in 2005, it originally retailed for $60.

Chinese Zodiac Rabbit – The most common Chinese Zodiac Rabbit is in the silver shade color. It retails for $300. Released in 2010 in collaboration with the Central Academy of Fine Arts, located in Beijing.  These are larger issues  in the “Chinese Zodiacs” collection measuring approximately 4.25” in height, mounted on a clear crystal base. The clear base is engraved in matte finish with an English and Chinese seal script.

Limited Edition Chinese Zodiac Rabbit –   This limited edition figurine is available in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau from Feb 3, 2011  and retires January 2012.  Issued in celebration of the 'Year of the Rabbit' in the golden shine color, this Zodiac sign represents peace and tranquility. It has the inscription ‘Limited Edition 2011’ engraved  on its faceted, clear crystal base, along with the Zodiac name in English and Chinese seal script. Also included is a special Certificate of Authenticity. It retails for  $2,400 Hong Kong Dollars.


Swarovski has also issued an online Limited Edition 'Satin Hare', designed by Peter Heidegger to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, a one time production in April 2011. This was only available while supplies last.


The Chinese Zodiac for the Rabbit includes the years: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, or 2011.

Many other Swarovski 'Chinese Zodiac' pieces have been released, but that's for another time.


You can See ALL these editions in our FABULOUS CFC Photo Galleries!
Come JOIN US

Crystal Fanatics Club
The 'Official' Premier website For Collectors of Swarovski Crystal !

© Copyright 1999-2011. Crystal Fanatics Club, Inc.