Inspired by the idea of making crystal accessible to more people, Daniel Swarovski, a Bohemian jeweler, patented an electric cutting machine that cut crystal more precisely than by hand. In 1895 he founded Swarovski in the small town of Wattens, high in the Austrian alps, because the energy potential offered by the nearby rivers made it the ideal destination for Swarovski’s first production site.

Daniel Swarovski’s vision was to use crystal to create “a diamond for everyone”, and his pioneering spirit and glass-cutting innovations helped the company continue the mission today.