Heidi Daus

To answer your question, yes I am…the last time I bought any of her items, were a pair of earrings, they had a lot of sparkle…I seen her ts last night, it just didn’t appeal to me at all…the sparkle is not there…and apparently looking at the total of orders, there are a lot of women the same way…sold under 4,000 at this time, usually the sales are a lot higher, by this time of morning, anyway totally not for me…I’ve moved on to Joan Boyce’s items, more sparkle….more of what I am looking for…I still have quite a few of Heidi’s items, back when the sparkle was there…..

Back in the day she used real australian crystals I think. Because of some environmental laws, she can no longer use it (it’s got lead in it). The imitation crystals just do not shine as much because they are not as good. But the environment is saved, I guess.

Her pieces are still made with Swarovski crystals, and they sparkle like crazy. I think like any designer, her tastes and designs are evolving. I mean who wants to see the same stuff over and over again? I agree the TS is not for me, but I bought the Boho necklace and earrings (on sale AND free shipping!!), and they are STUNNING!! It’s a combination of cabochons and faceted crystals. It’s very different from what she’s done in the past, and that’s a big reason why I love it so much. But yes, the cabs don’t sparkle the way the faceted crystals do. It does appear to me that her prices have gone up, but there aren’t as many sell-outs as there used to be (the economy, I guess), so I am content to wait for sales on items I really want. I haven’t paid full price for any of her pieces in a long time. Her pieces are still made very well, and her Customer Service is the best in the business. To each her own, I guess. :-”

Tillie – the small ones might be swarowski, but the big ones in necklaces are crystallized glass, not real leaded crystal, and I remember exactly the time it started happening.

Tillie – the small ones might be swarowski, but the big ones in necklaces are crystallized glass, not real leaded crystal, and I remember exactly the time it started happening.

Can you tell me when this started? I’m wondering about my pieces.

I haven’t been buying lately. I have website troubles on my pc’s. Besides, ever since my caterpillar pin came unglued, I have doubted the integrity of my HD pins. It seems that the pin part is merely glued to the rest of the casting of the pin with jeweler’s adhesive. Maybe that’s how pins are made, I just don’t know. Anyway, I never got a response to 2 emails to CS about fixing it.

Not that I don’t love HD, mind you! My favs are the big turtle pieces, then the frogs, and I want MORE!
I didn’t buy this current TS because, well, I just have no where to wear a huge piece like that. With a pin or a critter necklace, I feel I can go casual, (jeans, turtleneck, cotton blazer, big necklace) but an elegant piece like the TS I feel I’d be going so overtly fake. If you are a beautiful, slender young model like in the shows, yes, they are perfect enhancements. But on me, no. …That statement needs a frown… 🙁

Tillie – the small ones might be swarowski, but the big ones in necklaces are crystallized glass, not real leaded crystal, and I remember exactly the time it started happening. Can you tell me when this started? I’m wondering about my pieces. I haven’t been buying lately. I have website troubles on my pc’s. Besides, ever since my caterpillar pin came unglued, I have doubted the integrity of my HD pins. It seems that the pin part is merely glued to the rest of the casting of the pin with jeweler’s adhesive. Maybe that’s how pins are made, I just don’t know. Anyway, I never got a response to 2 emails to CS about fixing it. Not that I don’t love HD, mind you! My favs are the big turtle pieces, then the frogs, and I want MORE! I didn’t buy this current TS because, well, I just have no where to wear a huge piece like that. With a pin or a critter necklace, I feel I can go casual, (jeans, turtleneck, cotton blazer, big necklace) but an elegant piece like the TS I feel I’d be going so overtly fake. If you are a beautiful, slender young model like in the shows, yes, they are perfect enhancements. But on me, no. …That statement needs a frown… 🙁

I know from my own personal experience, if you send the pin back to Heidi, her CS will fix it and return it to you very very quickly. I sent them a ring that was missing a few crystals, and a necklace that I broke, and I wrote a note saying I would pay to have the necklace fixed, since I broke it. I got the pieces back within the week (practically by return mail), in brand new boxes, with NO BILL. :d/ =d>

And Massha, I’d like to know when this practice of using crystallized glass started, and where the glass comes from, please. :-k

I do not know where the glass come from.

I am not sure about the year; it might have been 2009 or so, but all of a sudden the necklaces started featuring “crystallized” beads and I ordered a necklace and sent it back; there was quite a bit of a background noise regarding lead in austrian crystal, so I figured that was the reason behind the switch.

I think my original post sounds way too assertive – I do not have some sort of an insider knowledge, just observations.

I do not know where the glass come from. I am not sure about the year; it might have been 2009 or so, but all of a sudden the necklaces started featuring “crystallized” beads and I ordered a necklace and sent it back; there was quite a bit of a background noise regarding lead in austrian crystal, so I figured that was the reason behind the switch. I think my original post sounds way too assertive – I do not have some sort of an insider knowledge, just observations.

Thank you massha. I discovered Heidi after that time, I guess, so I don’t have any of the older, better pieces. Oh well. I just assumed we were getting austrian crystals.