We love what we do!

Rhinestonz & Beads is an internet based family business located in New Plymouth, New Zealand.  We love what we do and pride ourselves on our service and extensive product knowledge.  Although we're an online shopping site we do welcome your personal contact by phone or email, so please feel free to contact us directly with any enquiry you may have.

So, how did it all start?

Born out of a love of colours, costuming and beautiful embellishments, our business has taken a natural upward progression since 1986 when (trading as Leotards Unlimited) we mailed out our first price lists of fabrics, sequins, rhinestones and trimmings to a handful of dedicated 'dancing mums' all around New Zealand who were sewing costumes for their daughters.  As word of mouth spread (no websites or email in those days) our database of faithful clients grew along with our range of products and services.

Rebranding the business in 2001 as "Rhinestonz", we went global with our first website and rapidly became recognised by clients, suppliers and competitors worldwide.  We even had favourable mention in The New York Times in an article entitled "In search of the perfect button".

In 2004 we began selling beads on Trade Me, NZ ‘s most popular online trading site, developing our bead inventory and rapidly expanding our standard stock lines.  Our 15,000 + cumulative positive feedbacks reflecting our customer service philosophy; friendly, helpful service and quality products ‘on hand and ready to go'.

Still going strong in 2012...

We've come a long way in 26 years but our original 1986 commitment to quality, service and value for money still remains our first priority.

We look forward to being available to assist you in any way we can.

LET US TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE A FEW THINGS FROM OUR HEART - things that makes us special & unique for our clients...

1. You get a sense of 'being on the team' from the moment we answer your call or reply to your email.

2. We genuinely like all our clients as people.

3. New clients are welcomed like old friends.

4. We think our products are the best thing since sliced bread & we make it our business to be experts about them.

5. We're operationally slim & procedurally slick - fast service, fast results, fast delivery.

6. No question is a dumb question.

7. Everyone on the Rhinestonz & Beads team has good ideas - and we like it like that!

8. You'll always get friendly, helpful, specialist advice - for free.
So jump right on in! We'll be happy to help!

We belong to...

The NZ Retailers Association, the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce and we're Affiliate members of the NZADT. 

Our products have been used ...

On Costumes and Leotards for TV, Film, Stage and Cabaret, Ice and Roller Skating, Synchronized Swimming, Gymnastics, Ballroom, Latin, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Belly Dancing, Salsa, Ceroc, Marching and Baton Twirling, Circus, Competitive Aerobics, Cheerleading and Bodyscuplting ...

On clothing for Bridal Wear and Accessories, Beauty Pageants, Equestrian Competitions, Christmas Parades and the Guinness book of records ...

Our rhinestones and beads decorate 'Faberge' Eggs, Designer Clothing, Horse Tack, Animal Collars, Candles, Mirrors and Photo Frames, Phones and iPods, Quilts, Art Works and Home Decor ...

Our clients include Textile Artists, Scrapbookers, Nail Artists, Jewellery, Clothing and Costume Designers, Florists, Cake Decorators, Events Industry Organizers, Hairdressers and Make-up Artists ...

If you use our products in other ways not mentioned here we'd love to hear from you.

About Rhinestones

Beautifully coloured pebbles from stream beds and beaches were probably the very first gemstones to attract the human eye. As civilizations evolved, dynasties wielded power using their magnificent treasures of precious stones and for centuries, because of their rarity and the art of their presentation, genuine gemstones remained exclusively for the ornamentation and adornment of the royal and the rich.

Glass making can be traced back further than 2000 BC but although the earliest record of gem cutting seems to be in the mid 14th Century, it was not until the late 17th Century that a new type of crystal glass was developed in Bohemia, and glass cutting techniques were able to be refined.

By the mid 18th Century, Georges Frédéric Stras(s) had perfected the art of applying a metallic foil to the back of his handcrafted glass "diamonds" which greatly added to their sparkle, but even when he ceded the formula to George Michel Bapst in 1752, the stones were still being handmade and were still very expensive. It was to be yet another century before Daniel Swarovski patented a glass-cutting machine and imitation diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires at last became economically viable and so, commercially accepted.

Although cutting methods have essentially not changed over the centuries, modern technology continues to improve the cut, colour and clarity of the imitation gemstones we now universally call "rhinestones". As more and more new techniques contribute special finishes, coating and colours, the future of the modern rhinestone industry is assured, and today, as in centuries past, imitation gemstones continue to captivate our imagination and decorate our lives.