Swarovski Crystal celebrates 111th anniversary

Exquisite miniatures are favourite collectibles in the Kingdom

Jeddah, 31 May 2006: Well known in Saudi Arabia for its exquisite miniature crystal animals and models of buildings, Swarovski, the world famous manufacturer of fine quality crystal, this year celebrates its 111^th anniversary.

Founded in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski, the Austrian family company based in Wattens in the Tyrol is today the world's leading brand of cut crystal. In addition to the ever popular collectibles fashioned from faceted crystal, Swarovski produces home accessories and jewelry that are also favorite gift items.

Less well known is the fact that Swarovski produces crystal jewelry stones and crystalline semi-finished goods for the fashion industry, which are especially popular with designers in the Arab world as adornments for their richly embellished evening gowns.

In this respect Swarovski Crystal is the presenting sponsor of the Costume Designers Guild Awards which are given for costume design excellence in seven categories for films, television and commercials. At the 8^th Annual CDG Awards ceremony Swarovski presented a new custom designed award featuring the silhouette of the CDG statuette carved with laser cutting precision into a striking solid block of Swarovski crystal. The dazzling event also featured over 100,000 Swarovski crystals within the table settings and dcor.

In addition to its other product lines, Swarovski produces the Crystal Palace collection of unique chandeliers and light fittings which grace beautiful homes, palaces and corporate buildings around the world. First introduced in 2002, the Swarovski Crystal Palace collections are designed to stretch the imagination, demonstrating that the traditional chandelier aesthetic can be beautifully reinvented with captivating results.

The 2006 Swarovski Crystal Palace collection, launched in Milan during April, features creations by fifteen of the world's most innovative designers, who have merged lighting, art and technology using Swarovski's entire range of crystal components. To commemorate the 111^th Anniversary, artist Chris Levine was commissioned to create D-Cube, an ethereal light sculpture that represents the spirit of the man by combining the very latest laser technology and the largest crystal cube ever cut by Swarovski. The piece previewed in Milan is a scale model of the final work, which will be installed later this year at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds Museum in Wattens, Austria.

Swarovski's artistic and design abilities are evident in Daniel Swarovski Paris and Swarovski Jewelry, the company's accessory and jewelry ranges, while since 1995 visitors have been able to enjoy the ultimate crystal experience at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds Museum. But there is no need to travel as far as Austria to appreciate the beauty of Swarovski crystal. Now, residents of Saudi Arabia can see a complete range of crystal collectibles and gift items at the new Swarovski showroom in Tahlia Mall, Jeddah.

The Swarovski group also includes Tyrolit, which produces grinding tools and abrasives, and Swarovski Optik, the company's optics division, with its precision optics for hunting and nature observation.

-Ends-

Notes for editors:
For more than a hundred years Swarovski, the Austrian family company based in Wattens in the Tyrol, has been the world's leading brand for cut crystal. Crystal jewelry stones and crystalline semi-finished goods for the fashion, jewelry and lighting industries are as much a part of the company's product range as gift articles, home accessories, and collectibles fashioned from faceted crystal. Swarovski's artistic and design abilities are evident in Daniel Swarovski Paris and Swarovski Jewelry, the company's accessory and jewelry ranges. Since 1995 visitors have been able to enjoy the ultimate crystal experience at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds. The Swarovski group also includes Tyrolit, which produces grinding tools and abrasives, and Swarovski Optik, the company's optics division, with its precision optics for hunting and nature observation.

In 2004 Swarovski achieved group sales of Euro 1.83 billion with a total of approximately 16,000 employees.

Website www.swarovskisparkles.com

For more information contact:
Ahmed Al Hassani
Media Manager
SACCS/TRACCS - Jeddah
Tel: (+9662) 6632525
Fax: (+9662) 6601874
Email: ahmed@saccs.com