Daniel Swarovski

Daniel Swarovski (24 October 1862 – 23 January 1956) was a Bohemian-born Austrian glass cutter, jeweler, and founder of the Swarovski crystal dynasty.

Daniel Swarovski
Born24 October 1862
Jiřetín pod Bukovou, Bohemia, Austrian Empire
Died23 January 1956(1956-01-23) (aged 93)
Wattens, Austria
Occupations
  • Glass cutter
  • jeweler
  • inventor
  • business entrepreneur
Years active1892–1956
Known forFounder of Swarovski
Political partyNazi Party[1]
SpouseMarie Weis
ChildrenFritz
Alfred
Wilhelm
Sculpture of Daniel Swarovski in Wattens

Early life

Swarovski was born in Georgenthal, Bohemia, Austrian Empire (now Jiřetín pod Bukovou, Czech Republic), the son of Franz Anton Swarovski and Helene Swarovski (née Staffen).[nb 1][2] Like many in the Jizera Mountains area, his father was a glass cutter, and Swarovski first learned the art of glass-cutting in his father's small factory. He was educated in Paris and Vienna, where he met electrical engineer František Křižík, and became interested in electricity at the 1883 Electricity Exhibition in Vienna.[2][3]

Career

In 1892, Swarovski patented an electric cutting machine that facilitated the production of lead crystal glass jewelry, which until then had to be cut by hand. In 1895, he moved to an area in the modern boundaries of Austria and partnered with Armand Kosman and Franz Weis to form "A. Kosmann, D. Swarovski & Co." They built a crystal-cutting factory in Wattens in Tyrol, to take advantage of local hydroelectricity for the energy-intensive grinding processes Swarovski had patented.[4][5][6][7]

In 1919, Swarovski founded the Tyrolit company, bringing the grinding and polishing tools from his crystal business into a different market. In 1949, Swarovski Optik KG was founded by his son Wilhelm Swarovski in Absam, Tyrol.[4][8]

Personal life

In 1887, Swarovski married Marie Weis, the sister of his business partner Franz Weis, and they had three sons: Fritz, Alfred, and Wilhelm.[9]

Honors

Notes
  1. The surname Swarovski was quite common in those days in Bohemia, and Daniel Swarovski never had the Germanic surname Swartz as stated previously in one source.

References
  1. "IM EINKLANG MIT DER NSDAP – das Unternehmen Swarovski in der NS-Zeit – Horst Schreiber".
  2. "Kryształy Swarovskiego". Arande (in Polish). Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  3. Hammerich-Maier, Maria (4 July 2010). "Ein Unternehmen mit Schliff: Carborundum Electrité". Radio Praha auf Deutsche (in German). Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  4. "Our Company: Our History". Swarovski. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  5. "About Swarovski". crystalfanaticsclub.com. Crystal Fanatics Club.
  6. Callan, Georgina O'Hara; Glover, Cat (2008). The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers. Thames & Hudson. p. 248.
  7. "Swarovski: About Us - The Story". Swarovski. Archived from the original on 23 October 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  8. "Daniel Swarovski Biography: Crystal Stones That Shine Like Diamonds". Astrum People. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  9. "The History Of Swarovski". HarMan Importing.
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