who was sWarovski and what is a Swarovski crystal?

Daniel Swarovski, formerly David Swartz, was the son of a glass cutter in Bohemia, where he became skilled in the art of class-cutting.  In 1892, he invented and patented a revolutionary electric cutting machine, using hydro-electricity,  that was used in the production of crystal glass. 

Swarovski crystals are man-made gems manufactured in Austria. In 1892, Daniel Swarovski invented a machine for making precision-cut, beautiful, high quality lead glass crystals using quartz, sand, and minerals.  The exact proportions of these raw materials has remained a company secret.   This specialized manufacturing process ensures the highest possible degree of precision which produces brilliant crystals.  For five generations, the Swarovski family has continued the tradition of making the most recognized crystals in the world out of their factory in Wattens, Austria. The method of production and processing of raw resources are important factors in the quality of finished crystals. Swarovski uses only the finest materials to fashion faceted lead glass that is known around the world for its brilliance and value. Superior production, materials, cutting, and polishing are what set Swarovski crystals apart from other glass works. According to Swarovski, “Cutting hard materials such as crystal and gems, in such a way that they have a hundred identical facets in several directions, is a very complicated task; each direction of the reflected light must first be calculated by computer, then this has to be simulated in 3D, optimized and finally converted into control programs for complex machinery.”

SOURCE: https://jewelryinfoplace.com/swarovski-crystals/