Multi stones carry more than one color, and they do it in two different ways. Some are literally multi-colored: a single stone cut so that different facets hold different colors, so the stone reads as several shades at once from any angle. Others are single-color stones with a heavy shifting coating, so the color changes as the stone moves rather than showing several colors at rest.

The literal multi-colors come from PriceLess Crystal^™ and include Rainbow Brite, Succulent, Meteor, and Magic Violet. These are the stones to use when a design needs a lot of color from a single SKU, or when you want a scattered rainbow effect without mixing several orders.

The color-shift stones come from MAXIMA Crystals by Preciosa^®. Mesmera shifts between soft lilac, green, and blush. Vitrail Light moves through violet, pink, and pale green. Heliotrope is a deep magenta-purple with a metallic shift, and Peacock Green holds blue and green together. Dark Rainbow and Siam Shimmer sit in the same range with deeper bases.

Designers use multi stones as accents rather than as the base of a design, since a surface covered entirely in shifting color tends to read as noise from a distance. They work well scattered through a single-color field, where each stone catches a different shade as the performer turns.

Frequently asked questions

What is a multi-color rhinestone?

A stone that shows more than one color. Some are cut so that individual facets hold different colors, so the whole stone reads as several shades at once. Others carry a shifting coating that changes color as the angle changes. Both are sold here, and they look quite different in a finished design.

Which rhinestone is a true rainbow stone?

Rainbow Brite is the literal multi-color option, a single PriceLess Crystal stone with several colors visible at once. If you want a rainbow effect from a shifting coating instead, crystal AB gives an iridescent shift over a clear base and is the more common choice for that look.

What is a Mesmera rhinestone?

Mesmera is a Preciosa color-shift stone that moves between soft lilac, pale green, and blush as the angle changes. It is subtler than a rainbow stone and works well on lyrical and contemporary costumes where the effect should read as movement rather than as multiple colors. Mesmera Shimmer AB adds a shimmer coating over the same base.

What is the difference between multi and AB rhinestones?

An AB stone has a single base color with an iridescent coating over it, so the base color stays dominant. A multi stone either holds several colors in the stone itself or shifts so strongly that no single color dominates. Use AB when you want a color with movement. Use multi when you want the color itself to be unpredictable.

Should I use multi stones for a whole design?

Most designs use them as accents. A full surface of shifting color reads as busy rather than as sparkle from an audience distance, and it competes with the costume rather than lifting it. Scattering multi stones through a single-color field usually gives the effect people are after.

How do I choose a multi shade?
Order a rhinestone color chart and tilt the stones under the lighting the piece will be worn in. Multi stones are the hardest of all to judge from a screen, because a photograph captures one angle and these stones exist entirely in the change between angles.