Crystals not marketed as real: Swarovski

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Swarovski's dealer in Taiwan has maintained that the Austrian brand's products are all man-made crystals and have never been marketed as real gems.

The dealer was responding to reports from China that accused Swarovski of selling artificial crystal glass as natural crystal, Apple Daily said.

The China reports also said that authorities in Guangzhou have ordered Swarovski's operation in the southern city remove its products from the shelves, citing false labeling, according to the Taiwan newspaper.

The authorities did not elaborate on the labeling violations, the reports were cited by Apple Daily as saying.

But the Chinese press has been running reports citing customer complaints about buying Swarovski products believing they were natural crystal.

Swarovski's executives in China were cited as claiming that they never misled customers, but will now improve training for its sales personnel.

In Taiwan, Swarovski runs more than 30 outlets. Apple Daily cited its marketing director in Taiwan as saying that the vendor's man-made crystals are different from ordinary glass, but they have never been claimed to be real gems.

Swarovski was founded in Austria in 1895. Its product lines include figurines, jewelry and couture. Its consolidated revenues amounted to 2.87 billion euros in 2011.