By Gretchen Webster

The light and beauty of Swarovski crystals, first created over 100 years ago in Austria, has come to Westport. The business – still family owned – opened a luxury store at 61 Main St. on May 19.

General Manager Leyla Sarshar welcomes customers into the new Swarovski store on Main Street.

The store is sparkling everywhere, from the gleaming front window display to the interior lined with glass shelves filled with crystal jewelry, gifts and collectibles.

“They are the masters of light,” General Manager Leyla Sarshar said of the Swarovski company, pointing out the large variety of crystal objects in the store. They include all kinds of jewelry from rings to necklaces, earrings, and decorative pieces. The store also sells collectible figurines ranging from Marvel characters to the Idyllia collection of crystal flowers, butterflies, and other forms from nature.

One of the store’s specialties are “Swarovski-created diamonds,” she said, that are used in many different pieces of jewelry in the shop.

The company is global, with headquarters now in Switzerland, and 200 luxury level stores carrying the Swarovski name in the U.S. and Canada, Sarshar said. There are also 6,000 other stores selling Swarovski crystal worldwide including Nordstrom, Macy’s, and many jewelry stores.

The company’s flagship store in the U.S. is on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and Swarovski “put on a huge showing at the Met (Metropolitan Museum) gala” this year, she said.

The collectible crystal figurines include Marvel characters, and other popular figures.

Sarshar, who formerly worked at the now-closed Intermix clothing store in Westport, has been involved in several community organizations in town, particularly women’s organizations. “It’s wonderful to be back in the community and with the women in Westport,” she said. “Everyone is so excited that we’re here …. We feel the store will thrive here.”

The general manager invited the Westport community to come into the store and see the beautiful items they have to offer there.

“Immerse yourself in the universe of crystals,” she said.

Swarovski is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

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Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman and has taught journalism at New York University and Southern Connecticut State University.