The ultimate guide to rhinestones

Rhinestones are one of those things that look wonderfully simple until you start shopping for them. Then come the questions. Hotfix or non hotfix? SS12 or SS16? Is Swarovski worth it, and what exactly is the difference between a rhinestone and a crystal anyway?

We have spent over 10 years supplying rhinestones to Irish dancers, West End costumiers, nail technicians, jewellery makers and complete beginners embellishing their first pair of trainers. In that time we have answered every one of those questions more times than we can count.

So this is everything in one place. What rhinestones actually are, the different types, how sizing works, which brands do what, how to apply them properly and how to keep them sparkling afterwards. Whether you are ordering thousands of stones for a production or buying your very first pack, you will find what you need here.

What are rhinestones?

A rhinestone is a decorative stone with a flat base, a faceted top and a mirrored foil backing that reflects light back through the stone. Made from glass, acrylic or resin rather than mined minerals, rhinestones are designed to imitate the sparkle of a diamond at a fraction of the cost.

That reflective backing is doing most of the work. Light enters through the angled facets on top, hits the mirrored foil underneath and bounces straight back out, which is why a good rhinestone flashes when it catches the light rather than simply sitting there looking shiny.

You will find them absolutely everywhere in the creative industries. Irish dance dresses, ballroom gowns, drag and burlesque costumes, bridal veils, nail art, tooth gems, greetings cards, jewellery, upcycled denim, chandeliers and even wallpaper. Anywhere something needs to catch the light, somebody has probably reached for a rhinestone.

They are decorative rather than precious, and that is entirely the point. Rhinestones give you the look of a diamond encrusted costume without the cost, the weight or the insurance premium.

What are rhinestones made of?

Not all rhinestones are made from the same thing, and this is where quality differences begin.

• Glass. The highest quality option and what all the leading brands use. Glass rhinestones are precision cut, hold their colour and coating over time, and produce a noticeably brighter, cleaner sparkle. These are the stones professionals reach for.

• Acrylic and plastic. Lightweight and very cheap, but with far less brilliance. They scratch easily, and the surface can dull or cloud with wear.

• Resin. Sits somewhere between the two. Popular in mass produced craft kits, though again the sparkle does not compare to glass.

The foil backing matters just as much as the material. On a quality stone this is a smooth, even mirrored layer applied to the flat base. On a cheaper stone it can be patchy or prone to peeling away from the glass, which is why bargain rhinestones so often lose their shine after a few months.

Historically, crystal glass contained a percentage of lead, which raised the refractive index and made the stones sparkle more intensely. Both Swarovski and Preciosa now produce lead free crystal, which is particularly relevant for anything worn close to the skin such as tooth gems and nail art.

Why are they called rhinestones?

The name comes from the river Rhine in Germany.

Sparkling quartz pebbles were once gathered from the riverbanks, cut and polished, and prized as an affordable alternative to gemstones. They were beautiful, they were relatively easy to find, and inevitably they ran out. As natural supplies were exhausted, makers began producing imitations to meet demand, and the name stuck to the imitations rather than the originals.

The imitation that changed everything arrived in the 18th century, when the jeweller Georg Friedrich Strass developed a technique for coating the underside of lead glass with metal powder. The result sparkled convincingly enough to pass for a diamond in candlelight, and it was so successful that much of Europe still calls rhinestones "strass" to this day. Antique rhinestones are often described as "paste", which refers to the wet blending process used to make the glass.

One myth worth clearing up while we are here. Rhinestone does not mean "round stone". It means, quite literally, a stone from the Rhine.

What is the difference between rhinestones, crystals and diamantes?

These words get used interchangeably, and mostly that is fine. But when you are comparing quality or spending real money, the distinctions genuinely matter.

The short version is that all crystals are rhinestones, but not all rhinestones are crystals. We use "rhinestone" as the broad term for everything in the category, and reserve "crystal" for stones cut from natural glass. When a supplier describes plastic or resin stones as crystals, that is worth noticing.

And no, rhinestones are not diamonds and have never pretended to be. They are their own thing, and a well cut glass rhinestone under stage lighting does something a diamond simply cannot do at that scale or that price.

The main types of rhinestones

Most people picture the classic round flatback when they hear "rhinestone", and it is by far the most popular. But the range is much broader than that, and picking the right format for your project makes application dramatically easier.

Flatback rhinestones

The workhorse of the rhinestone world. A flat base and a faceted domed top, designed to sit flush against a surface. Flatbacks split into two types based on how they attach, not how they look.

Hotfix rhinestones come with heat activated glue already applied to the back. You position the stone, apply heat with a hotfix applicator tool, heat press or household iron, and the glue melts and bonds as it cools.

Non hotfix rhinestones have no glue on them at all. You attach them yourself using an appropriate adhesive.

Telling them apart is easy once you know what to look for. Hotfix backings are rougher and darker because of the glue layer. Non hotfix backings are smooth and paler.

Sew on stones

These have holes drilled through them or sit in a pierced mounting, so they can be stitched directly onto fabric. That stitching survives movement, laundering and years of wear far better than any adhesive, which is why they are a staple of dancewear and stage costume.

They also cover more area for your money than flatbacks, so if you need to spread sparkle across a large costume on a fixed budget, sew on stones are a smart choice. Many costumiers glue them first and then stitch for extra security.

Pointy back chatons

A chaton is a rhinestone with a pointed underside rather than a flat one, closest in shape to a cut diamond. That point sends light back through the stone differently, giving a brighter, more jewel-like sparkle.

Because they cannot be glued flat to a surface, chatons are used in settings, cupchain and jewellery making. They are sized using both the SS system and a separate system called pp, which stands for pearl plate.

Fancy stones and shapes

Beyond the classic round, there is a whole world of shapes. Hearts, stars, navettes (a pointed oval), pear drops, baguettes, squares, triangles and leaves, available in both flatback and sew-on formats. Mixing a few shapes into an otherwise round design is one of the easiest ways to make embellishment look considered rather than scattered.

Pearls

Round, flatback and half drilled pearls sit alongside crystal in most projects rather than replacing it. The finish is soft and pearlescent rather than sparkly, which makes them lovely for bridal work and jewellery where you want elegance rather than flash.

Ready made formats

Not everything needs placing stone by stone.

• Self adhesive sheets for covering large areas quickly, ideal for interiors and set dressing

• Banding and cupchain for clean lines, edging and straps

• Hotfix transfers for repeating a design accurately across multiple garments

• Crystal mixes for varied sizes and colours in a single pack, perfect for organic, scattered coverage

Rhinestone sizes explained

Rhinestone sizing uses the SS system, which stands for stone size. The rule is simple. The higher the number, the bigger the stone. SS3 is tiny, SS48 is substantial.

Millimetre equivalents are always worth checking, because the numbers are not intuitive until you have handled a few.

With 16 different sizes in the Flatback Crystal range, it can be tricky to decide which rhinestone size to use for your project, so it helps to have a Swarovski crystal size guide to hand.

Pointy back chatons use a second system called pp alongside SS, which covers the very smallest sizes used in jewellery settings.

One tip that separates professional results from homemade ones. Rarely use a single size. Working with two or three sizes and dropping the smallest stones into the gaps between larger ones gives you full, even coverage with no visible spacing, and it costs far less than filling the whole area with big stones.

Rhinestone colours and finishes

The colour range is genuinely enormous, but almost everything falls into one of a handful of categories.

• Clear. Colourless with a mirrored backing for maximum light reflection. It works with every other colour and adds a luxury feel to anything, which is why it remains one of our most popular choices.

• AB. Short for Aurora Borealis, named after the Northern Lights. A coating that produces a rainbow effect rather like oil on water. This is the most popular finish by a distance, particularly in the performing arts, because it looks spectacular under spotlights. AB crystals pick up the colours around it, so against pale fabric you will see pinks, golds and pale blues, while a darker background brings out greens, yellows and deeper blues.

• Standard colours. A single solid colour throughout with no coating over the top. Everything from bold brights to soft pastels and neutrals.

• Coatings and effects. A thin layer applied over the crystal to create metallic, shimmer, iridescent, opal or multi tone finishes.

• Neon. Exactly as bright as the name suggests, and some even glow in the dark. Popular for nail art, Irish dance and anything designed to be noticed.

Choosing between shades on a screen is close to impossible, because monitors render colour differently and no photograph captures how a stone behaves in real light. This is exactly what our free samples and colour matching service exist for. Just ask and we will send you the real thing to hold against your fabric.

Rhinestone brands compared

There is a brand for every budget, and the differences come down to the material, the precision of the cut and the consistency you get from pack to pack.

Swarovski

Founded in 1895, Swarovski built its reputation on machine cutting that made precise, repeatable faceting possible for the first time. That precision is still the draw. The 2088 Xirius flatback carries 16 facets arranged in a star formation, and the effect under light is genuinely difficult to match.

The wider range covers flatbacks, sew on stones, beads, pearls and chatons, all with a smooth, flat base and a scratch resistant finish.

Availability is worth mentioning, because it has changed recently. Swarovski spent several years restricting who could buy and sell their crystal components, which made them frustratingly hard to source. Those restrictions were removed in June 2026, so genuine Swarovski crystals are once again available to everyone without applications, approvals or special status.

Preciosa

Preciosa is Swarovski's closest competitor and, for many professionals, an equal. The modern company was formed in 1948, though the Bohemian glassmaking traditions it draws on go back considerably further in what is now the Czech Republic.

We are an authorised Preciosa Silver Partner, which means we stock the range in depth across flatbacks, chatons, sew on stones, beads, pearls and crystal components for lighting. The premium Preciosa line is called Maxima, which is simply their highest specification cut, using more facets for greater brilliance.

Zodiac

Zodiac is our own brand, launched in 2019 after several years spent researching, testing and quality checking manufacturers until we found stones we were genuinely happy to put our name on.

They are made from natural glass with a durable foil backing and a scratch proof coating, and they deliver brilliant sparkle at excellent value per stone. That combination has earned them over 1,500 five star reviews and a real following among costumiers, fashion designers, nail artists, crafters and dressmakers across the country. They have been applied to a huge variety of surfaces without failure to adhere, and they stand the test of time.

If you are embellishing at scale, Zodiac is very often the smartest and most affordable choice on the table rather than a compromise.

Luna

Luna is our most accessible range, covering the most popular sizes and colours in flatback non hotfix and sew on stones. It is a brilliant starting point if you are new to embellishment and want to practise your technique before committing to a large order, and it works hard on high volume craft projects where you are covering a lot of ground.

A note on DMC

You will sometimes see rhinestones advertised as DMC. This stands for Diamond Machine Cut, and it describes a machine cutting standard used by a number of manufacturers rather than a brand in its own right. It is a useful signal that the stones have been machine cut for consistency, but it tells you nothing about who made them or what the coating quality is like, so it is worth looking at the actual brand behind the label.

How to spot good quality rhinestones

Once stones leave their original packaging, telling quality apart takes a practised eye. Here is what we look for.

• Check the foil backing. Swarovski non hotfix backing is completely smooth with a slight gold tinge to it. Preciosa and most other brands run more grey or silver. Either way it should be even, with no patchiness or lifting.

• Look at the facet pattern. Swarovski and Zodiac both show a recognisable star formation cut into the facets. Hold one next to a Preciosa stone and the difference in pattern is clear.

• Check for flaws. Quality stones should have no chips, scratches or irregularities unless they have been dropped or roughly handled. Run your eye across a pack and look for consistency in size and colour.

• Look for branding on packaging. Genuine Swarovski, Preciosa and Zodiac all carry brand logos on wholesale packaging.

Warning signs on cheaper stones include coating that peels or flakes at the edges, colour that dulls after a few weeks, backing that separates from the glass, and noticeable size variation within a single pack.

How to apply rhinestones

Applying rhinestones well is a real skill, and it takes practice. The good news is that the basics are straightforward, and most application disasters come down to skipping preparation rather than lacking talent.

What you will need

• Rhinestones in your chosen size and colour, plus smaller sizes for filling gaps

• The correct adhesive for your surface, or a hotfix applicator if using hotfix stones

• A pick up tool or wax pencil, which grips the stone without crushing it

• Fine tweezers for adjustments

• A clean, flat work surface with good natural daylight

• A damp cloth on hand for spillages

Applying non hotfix rhinestones

1. Clean and dry your surface thoroughly. Any grease, dust or residue will stop the glue bonding properly.

2. Practise on a scrap piece of the same material first. Always.

3. Apply a small dot of glue to the surface rather than to the stone. This gives you far more control and avoids squeeze out around the edges.

4. Pick up the stone with your pick up tool, place it, and press gently so it sits completely flush.

5. Work in small sections, checking for gaps as you go and filling them with smaller stones.

6. Leave to cure fully before handling or wearing.

Applying hotfix rhinestones

1. Lay your fabric flat and clean. If it is stretchy, such as spandex or mesh, stretch or stabilise it first by slipping something firm inside the garment. Applying to relaxed stretch fabric is the most common reason hotfix stones ping off in wear.

2. Position your stones with the glue side down. A pick up tool makes this far easier than fingers.

3. Apply heat with a hotfix applicator, heat press or iron, holding steady rather than moving around.

4. Let the area cool completely before touching it. The bond forms as the glue cools, not while it is hot.

5. Check adhesion by gently pressing a few stones once cool.

Hotfix is not suitable for plastic, glass, nails or tooth gems, and it is not the right choice for delicate or heat sensitive fabrics. When in doubt, test on a scrap first.

Which glue for which surface

Cure times vary considerably between adhesives, so always check the instructions on your specific product rather than assuming. As a general rule, giving your work longer than you think it needs before handling is never the wrong call.

Choosing the right rhinestones for your project

With this much choice, narrowing things down can feel overwhelming. Four questions usually get you to the answer.

• Is this a one off, or will you be repeating it? For a single small project, non hotfix stones and glue are more cost effective. If you are embellishing multiple costumes, hotfix is faster and far less messy.

• What material are you working on? Hotfix needs heat, which rules out plastic, glass, nails and anything heat sensitive.

• What is your budget? A generous budget opens up Swarovski and Preciosa. A tighter one is very well served by Zodiac and Luna, which give you considerably more coverage for the same spend.

• How many stones do you need? Larger projects almost always work out cheaper per stone in wholesale quantities than in retail packs.

Still not sure? That is genuinely what we are here for. Order samples, use our colour matching service, or just drop us a message describing your project and we will tell you what we would use.

How to care for rhinestones

A little aftercare makes an enormous difference to how long your work keeps its sparkle.

• Once the adhesive has cured completely, polish the stones with a slightly damp cloth to lift away any grease or glue residue. You will see them light up immediately.

• Wash embellished garments on a cool wash without fabric conditioner, or better still, hand wash them.

• Keep rhinestones away from perfume, hairspray and household cleaning products, which can attack both the coating and the adhesive.

• Avoid prolonged direct sunlight, which can weaken glue over time.

• Wrap embellished items carefully for transport. Bubble wrap is your friend.

• Store unused stones in their original packaging or in separate storage pots, sorted by colour and size, so they cannot scratch against each other. Larger stones such as fancy shapes, buttons and sew ons are best kept wrapped in tissue paper.

What to consider when buying rhinestones

A few things worth thinking about before you order.

Wholesale or retail? 

Retail packs are ideal for small projects, samples and trying a new colour. Once you are working at scale, wholesale quantities bring the cost per stone down significantly and mean you have spares for repairs later, which matters more than people expect. Costumes lose stones, and matching a colour six months on is much easier when you still have some in the drawer.

Order samples first. 

If you are unsure about a colour or size, ask before you commit. Getting a large order and realising the shade is slightly off is a genuinely miserable experience, and entirely avoidable.

Buy a little more than you need. 

Almost everyone underestimates, particularly on first projects.

Choose a supplier who can advise you. 

Anyone can put stones in a box. A good rhinestone supplier will tell you which size to use, which glue will hold on your fabric and roughly how many you need before you spend anything.

Frequently asked questions

What are rhinestones made of?

Most quality rhinestones are made from precision cut glass with a mirrored foil backing. Cheaper alternatives use acrylic, resin or plastic, which are lighter and less expensive but produce noticeably less sparkle and are far more prone to scratching and dulling over time.

Are rhinestones real diamonds?

No. Rhinestones are imitation gemstones, sometimes described as diamond simulants. They are manufactured from glass, acrylic or resin and designed to reflect light in a similar way to a diamond, but they are decorative rather than precious and are not sold as gemstones.

What is the difference between a rhinestone and a crystal?

Rhinestone is the umbrella term for any imitation gemstone with a faceted top and a reflective base. Crystal describes a rhinestone specifically cut from natural glass with a high refractive index. So all crystals are rhinestones, but plenty of rhinestones are not crystals.

Are rhinestones and diamantes the same thing?

Broadly yes. Diamante is a commonly used UK term for rhinestone, particularly in fashion retail. We use rhinestone as the standard term because it is the industry convention and covers the full range of stones, materials and formats more accurately.

Why are they called rhinestones?

They are named after the river Rhine, where sparkling quartz pebbles were once gathered, cut and polished as an affordable alternative to gemstones. Once natural supplies ran out, manufacturers produced imitations to meet demand, and the name transferred across to the man made versions.

What is the difference between hotfix and non hotfix rhinestones?

Hotfix rhinestones have heat activated glue on the back and are applied using a hotfix applicator, heat press or iron. Non hotfix rhinestones have no glue and need a separate adhesive. Hotfix backings look rough and dark, while non hotfix backings are smooth and pale.

What size rhinestone should I use?

It depends on your project. SS2 to SS9 suits nail art, tooth gems and gap filling. SS10 to SS20 covers most dressmaking, shoes and craft work. SS20 to SS48 works for dance dresses, costumes and interiors. Mixing two or three sizes gives the most professional coverage.

What does AB mean on a rhinestone?

AB stands for Aurora Borealis, named after the Northern Lights. It is a coating applied over the crystal that creates a rainbow effect similar to oil on water. AB reflects the colours around it, so it looks different against pale fabric than it does against dark.

What is the best glue for rhinestones?

It depends entirely on the surface. E6000 Plus is a strong, flexible choice for fabric and dancewear, Gem-Tac suits card and general craft, and nail art needs a dedicated nail adhesive. Always check the product instructions and test on a scrap piece first.

Can you wash clothes with rhinestones on them?

Yes, with care. Use a cool wash, skip the fabric conditioner and turn the garment inside out. Hand washing is gentler still. Avoid tumble drying, and make sure the adhesive has cured completely before the garment goes anywhere near water.

Why do my rhinestones keep falling off?

The usual causes are an unclean surface, the wrong adhesive for the material, not enough curing time, or applying to stretch fabric while it is relaxed. Stretch fabric should be stretched or stabilised during application so the stones are not put under tension when worn.

Can anyone buy Swarovski crystals?

Yes. Swarovski removed its purchasing restrictions in June 2026, so genuine Swarovski crystals are once again available to everyone without applications, approvals or minimum order requirements, whether you are a business or buying for a personal project.

Are rhinestones lead free?

Both Swarovski and Preciosa now produce lead free crystal. Historically crystal glass contained lead to increase brilliance, so this is a relatively recent change and worth checking on any older or unbranded stock, particularly for tooth gems and nail art.

Whatever you are making, we would love to help you get it right. If you are unsure which crystals to choose, how to apply them or how many you need, just get in touch. Our friendly team is always happy to talk it through, and we can send samples so you can see the sparkle for yourself before you buy.