Thursday, August 15, 2013

Bigger IS better....



....Especially when it comes to PRISMS!

  • Just listed in the XinaCat store:

We have new huge prisms! Check out these beautiful heavy lead crystals, now on sale at XinaCat:

XinaCat's Ice Cream Cone prism by Asfour
XinaCat's Ice Cream Cone Prism in AB, by Asfour




Big Scalloped Pear Prism by Asfour-front view
Big Scalloped Pear Prism by Asfour, angled view

We have many more. Why do we like Asfour crystals? This manufacturer has been in business since 1961, operating a massive business in Egypt - the land of the Nile.

Over the last few years, Asfour has gained prominence as a crystal maker by:
  • Purchasing new machinery that increases optical purity.
  • They have introduced some very exciting designs - which we now carry!
  • Each new piece now comes with the Asfour logo - the flying bird.
  • You get more crystal for your money!
  • Competes favorably with other top crystal brands...we know them well. I love Swarovski and the Preciosa crystals as well - we have all the top brands now on sale at XinaCat, from all over the world.

Monday, August 12, 2013

XinaCat August Special!

For the rest of the month of August, we are running a special... just for people who like us and read our blog!!



Everyone loves freeeebie stuff. Offer ends August 31st.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

The big fat heavy Club Prism

We mentioned we carry other great crystal prisms in addition to XinaCat's collection of luxurious (and pricier) Swarovski crystals.

We choose these crystals for shape, design, quality and value. Over the years, we have built up a tremendous inventory with huge varieties of crystal prisms not found anywhere else. This is what inspired me to create this store - you just can't find these crystals anywhere anymore.  Until now!

One of my all time favorites is the big "Club" prism that always sells out faster than we can get our hands on them.

Even my cat loves The Club. Well, she's starting to look bored by the time I fired off this image:

Skye and the Club Prism, offered by XinaCat


It's a nice chunk of crystal, weighing in at a relatively heavy 5.2 oz. A lot of people use it as a fan pull, while we like to use it as a glorious dramatic window prism. And it amuses the cat.

Club Prism, offered by XinaCat


The Club measures 3.5 inches, equal to 90mm, 1.5 inch thick at its bottom, equal to 40mm.

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Are our prisms authentic Swarovski?

8745 Swarovski Marquis prism
6208 Swarovski prism with rainbow spray


If we say a prism is a Swarovski prism, then it is. I have been collecting prisms (Swarovski-manufactured Austrian crystals being my all-time favorite) since I was a tiny kid.

They were special treasures to me that had this magic ability to bend and refract light, producing magical rainbows. I also collected scientific prisms that made even larger rainbows.


Swarovski prisms could be worn, suspended in windows like mini chandeliers and made into jewelry. That's the way I saw them as a kid and still do - all these years later - as a bigger kid.


XinaCat prisms hanging in window
Rainbows produced by XinaCat's prisms

This question of authenticity comes up - no one wants fakes and neither do we.

We have been in business now since 2001, having sold - to date - about 30,000 prisms to a happy worldwide client base filled with faithful repeat buyers (we love our prism-people!). Swarovski prisms have a brilliant optical quality polish, producing sharp rainbows in direct sunlight. However, it is important to know other manufacturers are now matching Swarovski's refractive high quality. We sell other brands carefully chosen for unique design and shape. But if we sell a prism that is not a Swarovski, we never claim it as a Swarovski - be weary of any prism and crystal sellers that do.

A few Swarovski crystals - namely the #8000 series, still ships with a tiny laser etched logo of a receding rainbow. Oddly enough, red and emerald green versions do not have this mark.

Close up of 8781-40AB heart prism with laser etched rainbow logo

But just because the mark is not present, the crystal can still be a Swarovski. For example, the Swarovski Elements #6000 series do NOT have the receding rainbow mark:

New 6228-40AB Swarovski prism with no logo


Here is another question we sometimes get:
*Do our Swarovski crystals come boxed with a Certification of Authenticity (COA)?


The crystals we receive from the Swarovski factory come to us boxed and in trays like this:

Tray of 8745 Marquis Swarovski prisms with Medium Sapphire Blue AB Finish

Swarovski Elements Box of 6722 50mm Moon Prisms

Swarovski Elements 6722-50mm Crystal Box of Moons



While we do carefully package all our crystals as the precious treasures they are, we do not receive individual boxes from Swarovski nor certificates to send with the crystals, so there are none to send on to you.

However, it is important to know the intended use of the Swarovski Elements (previously packaged as Swarovski Crystal Components back in the day) is for architectural, lighting and jewelry making applications.

This is not to be confused with much more expensive Swarovski collectibles that do come boxed with certificates. Still, you can collect these wonderful treasures and not spend a lot of money.

We send our prisms to you beautifully packaged, so you can use them as spectacular gifts and add to your growing prism collection. Even better, most prisms (unless specified as loose)come to you ready to hang in a sunny place - with bales (hangers) and line.


How XinaCat prisms look in a window. My cat loves them!


Enjoy!

Next, we will talk about some spectacular prisms that are not manufactured by Swarovski.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Cat's Eye Prism


Cool new Illusion Prism series now available on XinaCat!

Also called a Cat's Eye,  shown here with a colorful AB polish (Aurora Borealis), available from all kinds of angles:




You can find is amazing new prism suncatcher in 2" and 3" sizes at XinaCat.

This is a great design for the patio, window or Christmas tree.
We also have this model available in a clear finish




We Want to be Liked!!

XinaCat now has a Facebook page! Now we want to be loved.

To give you more of a reason to love us, 'liking' XinaCat will let you know about savings and specials only broadcast on our XinaCat Facebook page.

Please like us and hopefully you will fall in love.



Copy and paste this link....
https://www.facebook.com/pages/XinaCat-Crystal-Prism-Gifts/201592496559313

OR just go into Facebook and type in XinaCat and you will find us.

We have more prisms than ever before in all kinds of shapes and sizes at fair prices with free or really low priced shipping (depending on what you order).

See you there at.....xinacat.com

Why are we called XinaCat?

Where did the name XinaCat come from? 

Founder, Laura, says "I named myself after my beautiful, fluffy blue point Siamese cat, Xina, who inspired natural beauty, grace, humor, and so much cat hair ... She walked all over my work , and I didn't mind. She is gone now, but her reincarnation, Skye, now happily inspires my work and parks herself ... all over my work."

The original Xina kitty who inspired the name for XinaCat

Here is the original Xina - who loved crystals and bright shiny refractive things as much as her humans do....

Friday, November 10, 2006

xinacat.com is open for business: November 2006.
What a day...we're live! Today I launched my baby, XinaCat.com after 3 months of hard work. Here it is: XinaCat.com
So many e-mails came in, wondering if I had my own site - not on eBay or Overstock - and now as of November 10, 2006 - we do!

There's a secure shopping cart that works smoothly. We take PayPal, of course. You can also pay by check, Visa/MasterCard, money order - it's your choice. Credit card numbers are never stored at our site, so shoppers are safe with us.

There will be a few little bugs to kill, but I'll keep working on the site to make shopping with me a good experience. This is a first, and so I had to share this momentous day with the world.

-Laura of XinaCat >^..^<