Swarovski Magnet Glenn the Ghost wishes Swarovski Crystal Fanatics Happy Halloween!

Oct 312011
 

Happy Halloween to crystal fanatics around the globe from Glenn the Ghost (a Swarovski magnet) and the Kristall Buzz!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to Swarovski Crystal Fanatics

Crystal  collectors may be less familiar with Glenn the Ghost, or perhaps even wondering what it is or even if it is genuine Swarovski crystal.  This ghost is indeed a Swarovski product.

Glenn the Ghost is a Swarovski magnet about 1.5” tall.  Swarovski produced approximately 10 magnet / magnet sets from 2004 – 2005.   They retailed $32 – $50 per unit.  These magnets were in the Swarovski Crystal Moments product line.

Swarovski Magnets

Swarovski Glenn the Ghost and Swarovski My Little Halloween Friends

  • Swarovski Glenn the Ghost Magnet was assigned article numbers 9400 000 013 / 689 085.  The Swarovski designer for Glenn the Ghost Magnet was Elke Kumar.  This Swarovski ghost is Crystal CAL in color.
  • Swarovski My Little Halloween Friends was assigned article numbers 9400 000 015 / 698 599.  The Swarovski designer for My Little Halloween Friends was Keiko Arai. This Swarovski Halloween set includes a black cat, Crystal CAL Ghost, orange jack-o-lantern (pumpkin), and a black bat.

Swarovski Magnets not pictured include:

  • Swarovski My Little Hearts Magnets was assigned article numbers 9400 000 025 / 693 633.  A team was credited for the design of My Little Hearts Magnets.  This set of Swarovski hearts includes 3 red ones and one clear one.
  • Swarovski Ernie the Elephant Magnet was assigned article numbers 9462 000 006 / 681 541.  The Swarovski designer for Ernie the Elephant Magnet was Eva Maria Ried.  This Swarovski elephant is Crystal CAL in color.
  • Swarovski South Sea Magnets was assigned article numbers 9460 200 026 / 680 835.  The Swarovski designer for South Sea Magnets was Elke Kumar. This set of Swarovski sea creatures includes a light blue angelfish, a Crystal CAL sea horse, a pink octopus, and a yellow butterflyfish.
  • Swarovski Gina the Giraffe Magnet was assigned article numbers 9400 000 051 / 681 539.  A team was credited for the design of Gina the Giraffe Magnet.  This Swarovski giraffe is yellow/topaz in color.
  • Swarovski My Little Journey Magnets was assigned article numbers 9460 200 009 / 663 048.  A team was credited for the design of My Little Journey Magnets.  This set of Swarovski companions includes a yellow starfish, a Crystal CAL airplane, a Crystal CAL cruise ship, and a green palm tree.
  • Swarovski My Little Polar Bears Magnets was assigned article numbers 9400 000 037/ 718 992.  The Swarovski designer for My Little Polar Bears was Keiko Arai. This set of Swarovski Polar Bear set includes a mother polar bear and polar bear cub in Crystal CAL.
  • Swarovski My Little Sheep Magnets was assigned article numbers 9400 000 036 / 718 987.  The Swarovski designer for My Little Sheep was Eva Maria Reid. This set of Swarovski Sheep set consists of one black sheep and one Crystal CAL sheep.
  • Swarovski Arctic Dream Magnets was assigned article numbers 9400 000 037/ 718 992.  The Swarovski designer for Arctic Dream was Eva Maria Reid. This set of Swarovski Arctic Dream set includes a Crystal CAL iceberg, a Crystal CAL bear, a royal blue sea lion, and a light blue seal pup.

At Crystal Exchange America, we do not see much activity on the Crystal Moments Magnets.  However, when we do have them available, they can be found in the “Crystal Moments” category of our online Swarovski store, or by using the search feature keyword “magnet”.



Swarovski Kris Bear and Swarovski Missy Mo Friendship #4

Oct 292011
 

The crystal critters have made another public appearance…  Missy Mo and Kris Bear have finalized their costume choice to wear Trick or Treating on Halloween night.  And of course, the paparazzi was there for the big announcement!

Kris Bear and Lovlots Missy Mo

Swarovski Lovlots Missy Mo and Swarovski Kris Bear

The shot below shows Swarovski Kris Bear and Swarovski Missy Mo dressed and ready to go. The Swarovski crystal figurines revealed that they will be going out as Santa and his Elf Kris.  Missy Mo is decked out in a red Santa suit.  Kris will be carrying a Christmas tree, just as every good elf would do.

Swarovski Santa Mo with 2011 Christmas Kris Bear

Swarovski Santa Mo and Swarovski Christmas Kris Bear 2011

The Swarovski Santa Mo is a limited edition figurine available only in 2011.  This Lovlots limited edition figurine and can be purchased in the Swarovski store at a cost of $65.   It can be identified as Swarovski article numbers # 9100 000 336 / 1096024.

The Swarovski Christmas Kris Bear (2011) limited edition figurine available only in 2011.  Christmas Kris Bear is a delightful bear figurine carrying a traditional holiday tree.  This limited edition Kris Bear figurine and can be purchased in the Swarovski store at a cost of $100.  It can be identified as Swarovski article numbers # 9400 000 315 and # 1091815.

Swarovski Santa Mo can be found at Crystal Exchange America website: www.CrystalExchange.com .  Look in the ‘Limited Edition Swarovski’ category of the store to find it and other limited edition Swarovski Mo Cows.

Swarovski crystal fanatics should stay tuned to the Kristall Buzz to see what mischief Kris and Missy will be into after they collect and munch on all their candy!



Swarovski News: Swarovski Arctic Hare at SCS Online Event Today!

Oct 272011
 

October 27 marks a special online event at the Swarovski website!  The Swarovski Arctic Hare is available to purchase directly from the crystal brand’s online shoppe for a limited 24-hour window (or while stocks last).

The Swarovski Arctic Hare is a ‘crystal moonlight’ rabbit figurine.  It is a Swarovski crystal figurine normally available for purchase at Swarovski events by SCS members who attend a store reception.  The crystal bunny is about 1.5” x 2” in size and retails for $110.  This Swarovski crystal figurine was designed by Anton Hirzinger.

The Arctic Hare is also symbolic in that it marks the Year of the Rabbit: 2011 in the Chinese calendar.

In 2011, the crystal brand released two other Swarovski Hare figurines:

If you are a hare fanatic, you may be interested to purchase all 3 of the crystal hare figurines.  Remember, the Swarovski Arctic Hare can only be purchased by SCS members for the online event.  But once they hit the online auctions or secondary market, anyone can purchase them.  To find other similar figurines on the secondary market, you can visit the web site of Crystal Exchange America (www.CrystalExchange.com).  Use the powerful store search feature with the term ‘bunny’, ‘rabbit’, or ‘hare’ to find exactly what you are looking for!



Swarovski Mask….Limited Edition Crystal Masks

Oct 252011
 

Halloween is just around the corner.  Parties on the weekends with people decked out in their best costumes.  And yet one more chance to enjoy the fun or scary atmosphere on beggars night too!

Nearly every year, we get orders for a Swarovski Mask that some Swarovski fanatic is planning to wear to a party!

Our favorite crystal brand produced four different masks all release in their Jeweler’s Collection line.  All the masks can indeed be worn, but some are on the more fragile side and I would suggest using caution if wearing these Swarovski Limited Edition releases.

Swarovski Limited Edition Mask for 1999

Swarovski 1999 Mask

 

 

The first mask came out in 1999.  It was a limited edition of 2000 units.  While the mask itself was not numbered, the certificate included with it was numbered.  The Swarovski identification # for the 1999 Swarovski mask is 3391.69SN.  The crystal stones for this mask were hand set and are bonded into the mask frame.  The satin-like Swarovski box is burgundy in color.  The Swarovski 1999 Mask retailed for $350 and sells in the $450 – $500 price range on the secondary market.

 

 

 

Swarovski Limited Edition Mask for 2000

Swarovski 2000 Mask

 

 

The second mask came out in 2000.  It was a limited edition of 3000 units.  While the mask itself was not numbered, the certificate included with it was numbered.  This mask has a detachable handle so that the mask is hand-held, not actually worn.  The Swarovski identification # for the 2000 Swarovski mask is 1508853 / 1508982.  The satin-like Swarovski box is grey in color.  The Swarovski 2000 Mask retailed for $375 and sells in the $450 – $500 price range on the secondary market.

 

 

Swarovski Limited Edition Mask for 2001

Swarovski 2001 Mask

 

 

The third mask came out in 2001.  It was a limited edition of 3000 units.  While the mask itself was not numbered, the certificate included with it was numbered.  The Swarovski identification # for the 2001 Swarovski mask is 1806193.   Clear crystal stones and yellow crystal stones were used for this mask. The satin-like Swarovski box is iridescent lavender in color.  The Swarovski 2001 Mask retailed for $395 and sells in the $475 – $525 price range on the secondary market.

 

 

 

Swarovski Limited Edition Mask for 2002

Swarovski 2002 Mask

 

 

 

The final mask came out in 2002.  It was a limited edition of 2500 units.  While the butterfly mask itself was not numbered, the certificate included with it was numbered.  The Swarovski identification # for the 2000 Swarovski Butterfly mask is 1600317.  The satin-like Swarovski box is blue in color.  The Swarovski 2002 Mask retailed for $375 and sells in the $500 – $550 price range on the secondary market.

Whether you attend a party as your favorite celebrity, or a professional athlete, or any other costume, you can always bling it up with some Swarovski Elements or conceal your identity with a Swarovski mask.  Even if you just want to walk around with your kids on Beggar’s night, with a little spunk, you can wear a Swarovski Crystal Mask.   Most importantly, have a safe and fun Halloween event.

 

 

 



Swarovski Sapphire Steiff Bear, 2011 Limited Edition, at Crystal Exchange America

Oct 242011
 

With only 2000 available in 2011, the Steiff Sapphire Bear not going to be available for very long.  Steiff retailers told us that the limited edition Swarovski-decorated bear was quick to sell out this year.

Limited Edition Steiff Bear

Sapphire...Limited Edition Swarovski Steiff Bear

The bear’s coat is a deep blue made of silk material.  The bear has paws encrusted with Swarovski crystal Elements stones that reflect a prism of colors accenting the sapphire blue color.

Sapphire also wears a choker around her neck made Swarovski Elements.  Naturally, the bear includes a white label with the famous Steiff button in the ear.  Every Steiff Sapphire bear includes a numbered certificate of authenticity and is packaged in a special Steiff gift box.

A number of other Steiff Swarovski bears have been produced in the past decade.  In particular, Swarovski Ornaments were used in the implementation of these  Swarovski Steiff bears:

Articles can be found right here on the Kristall Buzz about many of Swarovski Steiff Bears:

Crystal Exchange America does have the Swarovski Sapphire Steiff Bear available now.  If you are a Steiff Bear fanatic, this may be one of your last opportunities to purchase this special limited edition bear at a reasonable price.



Swarovski Beetle – A Volkswagon Celebration Makeover

Oct 212011
 

This article about the VW Beetle and Swarovski is yet another story of how Swarovski has been used in the non-figurine / non-fashion industry, but will certainly appeal to the Beetlemania generation.

Just a tad bit of history on Volkswagon, they began producing cars in Germany in 1930’s, but the bigger boom came in 1945.  The popular economy car became better known as the “Beetle” and “Bug”.  In August, 1955, the 1,000,000th Beetle came rolling off the production line.

In 2000, Volkswagon had the 1,000,000 unit completely renovated for display in the Volkswagon theme park.  The park, Autostadt, is in Wolfsburg Germany.

Swarovski Volkswagon Beetle

VW Beetle featuring Swarovski Crystal Stones

The makeover features include gold paint, new brocade upholstery, and the very sparkly chrome bumpers and trim accents.  Over 30,000 stones were hand-applied by Swarovski craftsman in Wattens.  At that time, they probably thought it was a pretty-blinged up car.

Compare it to the Swarovski Royal Wedding Mini Cooper with over 300,000 hand-set Swarovski Crystal stones!



Swarovski SCS Wonders of the Sea Trilogy

Oct 192011
 

Swarovski SCS editions are among the most popular crystal designs that are sold on the online store of Crystal Exchange America.  One of the more recent trilogies was the Swarovski Wonders of the Sea.

Swarovski Wonders of the Sea

Swarovski Eternity (left), Swarovski Harmony (center), Swarovski Community (right)

The three Swarovski AE’s in the Wonders of the Sea trilogy are Harmony, Eternity, and Community.   This trilogy was unique in a number of ways.

  • Each SCS edition was available in both a clear crystal version and a colored crystal version
  • The SCS editions were available for purchase until the completion of the series

Clarifying the different offerings, Swarovski article numbers, availability….

  • Swarovski Harmony (clear) –  9100 000 003 / 681 823
  • Swarovski Harmony (colored) – 7400 200 500 /  657 120.
    Harmony was designed by Martin Zendron.  It was available for purchase 2005 through 2007
  • Swarovski Eternity (colored) – 9100 000 008 /  684 266
  • Swarovski Eternity (clear) – 9100 000 015 / 726 028
    Eternity was designed by Michael Stamey.  It was available for purchase 2006 and 2007
  • Swarovski Community (colored) – 9100 000 043 / 854 650
  • Swarovski Community (clear) – 9100 000 044 / 854 651
    Community was designed by Heinz Tabertshofer.  It was available for purchase only in 2007.

One more than one occasion, we’ve been asked….”What is the correct way to display the Wonders of the Sea trilogy?”

For this trilogy, Swarovski released the center unit first, which was Harmony.   In the picture, Harmony is shown with the colored clown fish.  The next release, Eternity, is the leftmost unit. Eternity is shown with the clear turtle swimming toward the clown fish and blue coral.  (Note how the fish near the top of the 2 displays flow together.)  The final release, Community, is the rightmost unit.  Community is shown with colored banner fish swimming toward the clown fish in the picture.

Crystal Exchange America has most of the Swarovski Wonders of the Sea figurines available in their online store.  To see all the Swarovski SCS editions, view the Collector Society / SCS category.  Or a shopper can use the store’s search feature and type in Harmony, Eternity, or Community, depending on the SCS edition desired.



Swarovski Stallion: Crystal Figurines and Crystal Myriad Amurath

Oct 182011
 

Across the numerous Swarovski Crystal product lines, we find only a handful of figurines and statues that utilize the Stallion motif:  one sold-out Stallion, two retired Swarovski stallions and two stallions that can be purchased directly from the crystal giant.

Swarovski Crystal Myriad Arabian Stallion

Swarovski Crystal Myriad Arabian Stallion

The Swarovski Amurath is a Crystal Myriad statue designed by Elisabeth Adamer.  Like its Crystal Myriad counterparts, the Amurath Arabian Stallion is an intricate, luxurious statue.   The Amurath Stallion is a Swarovski NLE of 300 units, each utilizing over 32,000 hand-set crystals.  Due to the fragile nature and production time to decorate and attach the stones, this Swarovski stallion was built when orders were placed for it.  This Crystal Myriad Stallion was introduced in 2010, and since has sold out despite the original price tag of $8,000.

The other Swarovski Stallion designs are the Swarovski Arabian Stallion, Swarovski White Stallion, and Swarovski Stallion, and Swarovski Satin Stallion.

 

Swarovski Arabian Stallion Horse

Swarovski Arabian Stallion

 

The Swarovski Arabian Stallion, designed by Martin Zendron, was assigned Swarovski reference #’s : 7612 000 002 / 221 609.  It was available from 1998 to 2005 and is marked with the familiar Swarovski Swan logo.  The retail price at the time of availability was $265.  In 2011, on the secondary market, it generally sells in the $200- $300 price range.

 

 

Swarovski White Stallion Horse

Swarovski White Stallion

 

 

The Swarovski White Stallion, designed by Martin Zendron, was assigned Swarovski reference #’s : 7612 000 001 / 174 958.  It was available from 1993 to 2005 and is marked with the familiar Swarovski Swan logo.  The retail price at the time of availability was $265.  In 2011, on the secondary market, it generally sells in the $100- $225 price range.

 

Swarovski Stallion

Swarovski Stallion

The Swarovski Stallion, designed by Stefanie Nederegger, was assigned Swarovski reference #’s : 9100 000 068 / 898 508.  It was released in 2007 and can still be purchased on the crystal brand’s web site for $400. The Swarovski designer was Stefanie Nederegger.  This stallion is marked with the familiar Swarovski Swan logo.

 

 

Swarovski Crystal Satin Stallion

Soulmate Satin Stallion

 

The Swarovski Satin Stallion, designed by Heinz Tabertshofer , was assigned Swarovski reference #’s : 9600 000 155 / 1 074 793.  It was released in 2011 and is available on the crystal brand’s web site for $960.  This stallion, which is a part of the Swarovski Soulmates collection,  is marked with the familiar Swarovski Swan logo.

 

 

Whether you are among the many stallion fanatic or crystal fanatics, these beautiful horse figurines may be something you would be interested to purchase.  The retired stallions are smaller in size than the current stallions.  They are approximately 4.25” long or tall (For comparison, the Stallion is about 5.75” long and the Satin Stallion is about 8.5” tall.)   The retired Swarovski stallions also have a much lower price tag than the current stallions and can be found at www.CrystalExchange.com .  Use the search feature with the keyword “stallion” to locate them in the store of this reputable Swarovski dealer.



Swarovski Crystal Globetrotter

Oct 162011
 

Several days ago, I wrote about the newest Swarovski crystal video on YouTube, which featured Swarovski Theo.  The video featured the 2009 Limited Edition Theo and his travels in Southeast Aisa.

At the time, I believed the Swarovski Globetrotter contest being advertised was to photograph Theo traveling around the world.  Yesterday, I found a facebook page with more information about the Swarovski Globetrotter contest:

According to the contest rules, the Swarovski Crystal Globetrotter can be any crystal figurine.  I checked out the list of photographs already submitted, and it looks like many crystal fanatics are selecting Swarovski Lovlots or Swarovski Happy Duck figurines for their traveling companions.

Contestants can submit images of up to 3 Sparkling Globetrotters.  Competition entries must be submitted before November 15, 2011.

Good luck to all Swarovski fanatics entering the Crystal Globetrotter contest!

 



Swarovski News: Swarovski La Lupa Sculpture Details

Oct 142011
 

The La Lupa Sculpture is a Swarovski NLE (numbered limited edition) available at a Swarovski gala event in Italy in mid-October, 2011.

Swarovski Crystal Sculpture La Lupa

Swarovski La Lupa

Swarovski La Lupa is actually produced in 2 different sizes.

Limited Swarovski La Lupa: available at the event only:

System #: 1145683
Edition Size: 50 units
Dimensions: Width 155 x Height 149,50 x Depth 87,20

Smaller, but still limited, Swarovski  La Lupa: available at select Swarovski retailers in Rome, shortly after the event:

System #: 1145684
Edition Size: 3000 units
Dimensions: Width 91,50 x Height 88,90 x Depth 51,90

The Swarovski La Lupa Sculptures will cost €600,00 or €2550,00 depending upon the product being purchased.

These are very interesting Swarovski crystal sculptures.  I’ll be anxious to see if we find them at the online auctions soon, or better yet, perhaps we’ll get one listed at the Crystal Exchange America web site:  www.CrystalExchange.com .



Swarovski News for Crystal Fanatics in Italy – SCS Gala Dinner and Signing Event October 15-16

Oct 142011
 

Swarovski is hosting a very special event to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italy as a united nation at Museo Capitolini!

The SCS Gala dinner is October 15, and registration is required.  Swarovski designers Anton Hirzinger and Adi Stocker will be in attendance as well as local celebrities.  Attendees of this magnificent gala event will be offered a private tour and viewing Capitolini Museum, which is the oldest museum in the world.

The crystal brand has produced a special Swarovski NLE crystal sculpture for preview and purchase during this gala event.  The figurine is “La Lupa”, which is a crystal portrayal of the famous Capitoline Wolf created solely for Italy during this year of celebration.  The Swarovski La Lupa sculptures should be available for purchase during the weekend.

The Swarovski signing event is October 16.  Designers Anton Hirzinger and Adi Stocker will be signing their own Swarovski crystal creation for SCS members in attendance.

Crystal fanatics in Italy can contact Swarovski for additional information : customer_relations.it@swarovski.com



Swarovski Lovlots House of Cats in Park Hills

Oct 132011
 

Recently, I wrote about a video on YouTube featuring the limited edition cat Theo from the collection, Lovlots House of Cats.  In the article about Globetrotter Theo, I briefly mentioned the residents in the Lovlots House of Cats collection.

Lovlots House of Cats

Swarovski Lovlots House of Cats

While this article is also about the Lovlots House of Cats, the focus is really about the Park Hills district of Lovlots City, and the individual cat characters that live there.

Swarovski states this about the Lovlots Park Hills: “The large park is the center of this district with its extravagant and striking villas.  This is where the bohemians have settled.”

Swarovski also has small quips about each of the House of Cats figurines….

Some of these Swarovski Lovlots cats are actually family.  From what I have seen, Marie & Pierre are the parents of Emily and Theo. Diane and Ines are sisters.  It is not clear if Camille is related to either family.

The crystal brand has a brief Lovlots House of Cats video on their website.  Be sure and check it out as the kitty quips and adorable feline personalities shine through in the video.

Many of the Lovlots House of Cats crystal figurines have retired or are retiring in 2011.  Some are still available at the crystal brand’s website.  If you miss the opportunity to purchase from them or an authorized retailer, check out the Swarovski Lovlots category of the www.crystalexchange.com web site.

 



Crystal Fanatics….Want some Swarovski Chocolate Candy?

Oct 112011
 

Swarovski Chocolate?  Well, not exactly.  It is luxury chocolate with Swarovski crystal embellishments on the box.  Chocaholics and crystal fanatics alike are going to have to pay out a small fortune to purchase this unique gift.

Swarovski Crystal Embellished Chocolate Truffles Box

Swarovski Crystal Embellished Chocolate Truffles Box

The history of this gift?  “The Chocolate” company spent two years perfecting this wonderful blend of chocolate, of 63% black chocolate.  Champagne is also used in the recipe, which is kept top-secret.  The mixture is used to produce the “champagne truffles”.

Topping the luxury chocolate truffles is edible 24-carat gold flakes.  (With the cost of gold these days, I’m not so sure I’d eat the flakes as I cannot imagine they have value-added flavor, despite the claim that is does).

Keeping the extravagance theme in mind, the box is just as lavish.  There are two different boxes available to package your chocolate in.  The “Boutique Box” (full size box) is decorated with 450 Swarovski crystals on the inside and outside.  Box + chocolate = nearly $300.  Each of the Boutique Boxes is said to be numbered and include a certificate according to one source.  “The Chocolate” indicates that the Boutique Box is also a collector’s item.  I guess this is one Swarovski box that you would not want to discard!  The “Bambina Box” (for a single large truffle) is decorated with 200 Swarovski crystals on the inside and outside.   Box + chocolate = nearly $80.

Chocolate with 24k edible gold flakes and box decorated with Swarovski Crystals

Chocolate with 24k edible gold flakes and box decorated with Swarovski Crystals

The luxurious chocolate truffles can be purchased directly from “The Chocolate” web site.  “The Chocolate” indicates that  your truffles are made shortly after orders are placed and that a signature is required for deliver of these special Swarovski-boxed truffles.

Very interesting, however, I think I’ll stick to the Hershey kisses for my chocolate fixes and save my money for genuine Swarovski crystal figurines!



Swarovski Theo, Lovlots House of Cats, becomes a Crystal Globetrotter

Oct 102011
 

Swarovski has produced and uploaded a video to YouTube about the Lovlots Theo traveling the globe.  The video shows Lovlots Theo (not to be confused with Theo the Turtle) at various locations in SouthEast Asia.

 

Swarovski Theo is a black cat, posed in a Halloween position and designed by Edith Mair.  Theo the cat is in the Lovlots collection, specifically the grouping “House of Cats”.  Theo was the Limited Edition Lovlots figurine for 2009.  Other Swarovski House of Cats character kitties that reside in the posh Lovlots Park Hills district include:

  • Swarovski Diane – 988017, retires in 2011.  Pale chocolate cat modeling her strand of pearls designed by Edith Mair.
  • Swarovski Emily – 995045.  Fashion fuschia feline, with a butterfly resting on her ear, designed by Peter Heidegger.
  • Swarovski Marie and Pierre – 995011, retires in 2011.  Pale blue and pale burgundy pair of romancing kitties designed by Edith Mair.
  • Swarovski Ines – 995008.  Soft seal cat, decorated with a choker, designed by Edith Mair.
  • Swarovski Camille – 995006, retires in 2011. A sleeping bronze cat designed by Stefanie Nederegger.

Like any manufacturer, Swarovski is about promoting new and current products.  I’m a bit confused as to their selection of figurines for this video… a retired black cat.  Perhaps because Theo photographed well (taking good pictures of crystal can be tricky!)?  Perhaps they are planning to introduce a bigger Theo?  Only Swarovski knows the answer to this question.

Toward the end of the video, they mention taking pictures of Theo on his journey around the world and posting them to Facebook for a prize.  So there is some kind of Swarovski Theo Competition on the horizon, but I was not able to locate any further information on the subject.

If you are planning to participate in the Swarovski Theo Contest, and do not have this Limited Edition Lovlots figurine in your collection, you can find Swarovski Theo at www.crystalexchange.com .  Simply use the search feature and type in “Theo” (without quotes).  Be sure to purchase the limited edition cat as I don’t believe Swarovski wants to see the Theo the Tortoise in photograph submissions!



Swarovski News: Free Itunes App ‘Swarovski Refract’ for Crystal Fanatics

Oct 092011
 

Several days ago, I saw the Swarovski News that the crystal brand had released an ’app’ in the Apple iTunes store.  This free app, for the iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad, is called Swarovski Refract.

Swarovski Refract Screen Shots

Actual Swarovski Refract Screen Shots

The Swarovski Refract App allows users to play with triangular shapes, lights, colors, and sounds.  In short, a player generates a triangle with sparkling tips then moves this shape around the screen to change the colors and sounds it generates.  The triangle shapes and sizes can also be modified.  During the play, sounds will be heard based on the various combinations of triangle order, size, and color to produce a brief tune.

Swarovski Refract comes with about 10 predefined compositions ranging in length from 1 to 3 minutes.  There is one that is 22+ minutes long.

The Swan in the upper left corner acts like a home button, bringing up the main menu and options.  There are three features in the app that are initially locked, and can be unlocked by completing simple tasks.  One  feature is Duck J, which adds some funky rhythms and percussion beats to  the sounds. Another feature is the Nirvana Ring Feature, which adds some extra sparkle on the screen.  The remaining feature is Chaton feature, which adds some unique shape-echoing shadowing on the screen.

Swarovski Refract (simulated screen)

Swarovski Refract (simulated screen)

Of course, the crystal brand wants to promote Swarovski Refract via  composition-sharing.  Features in the app allow sharing via email, Facebook, and entering it into a competition.

The Swarovski Refract competition runs thru October 14, and the grand prize winner receives an iPad2 with a limited edition Swarovski crystal embellished iPad2 case.  A panel of 5 judges will select the top 10 entries for posting to Facebook, where Facebook fans will then vote on their favorite crystalline composition.

I found another app in the iTune store that was an interesting play on touch and lights.  Called ‘Uzu’, it costs 99 cents to $1.99 depending on whether a user wants it for an iPod or iPad.  In it, a player touches the screen with 1 to 10 fingers, moving them around to generate some very busy action:  spirals, confetti, falling stars, and more, but without the sound or music.  A demo of Uzu can be found on YouTube.

Swarovski fanatics will find the Swarovski Refract App entertaining.  And with some patience, create a remarkable composition worth sharing, and perhaps winning!  Best of luck to anyone entering the Swarovski Refract competition!

 



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