Red is the most-ordered color we stock, and it is also the one designers get wrong most often. The reason is that reds carry either a blue or an orange undertone, and the wrong undertone next to a red costume fabric reads as a mismatch rather than a match. Picking the right red is a matter of undertone before it is a matter of brightness.

Light Siam is the workhorse. It is a clear, true red with a slight warm lean, it comes in the widest size range we carry, and it is the default choice for ballroom, competitive dance, and holiday work. Siam sits a step deeper and cooler, closer to a classic ruby red. Vivid Siam is the most saturated of the three and holds its intensity under a heavy stage wash.

For deeper reds, Burgundy is a rich wine red with real purple in it, and it is the shade to use when a bright red would overpower a darker costume. Burgundy Delite is a variation on it. Red Velvet and Red Flame are MAXIMA shades that sit between Siam and Burgundy, and Indian Siam is a deep warm red. On the orange end, Hyacinth and Lava lean toward the orange range and read as rust and copper.

Light Siam and Hyacinth are also available with AB and shimmer treatments, which add an iridescent shift over the base red. Reds are stocked in flatback across MAXIMA Crystals by Preciosa^®, LUX European Crystal^®, and PriceLess Crystal^™.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Siam and Light Siam rhinestones?

Light Siam is the lighter and slightly warmer of the two, a clear bright red. Siam is deeper and cooler, closer to a ruby. Light Siam is the more versatile choice and comes in a wider size range. Siam is the better match when the costume fabric is a deep or blue-leaning red. These are the two most-stocked reds we carry and the two most often confused.

Which red rhinestone is the brightest?

Vivid Siam is the most saturated red in the range and holds its color best under strong stage lighting, where lighter reds can wash toward pink. Light Siam is the brightest of the everyday reds. If the goal is maximum impact from an audience distance, Vivid Siam is the shade to compare first.

What red rhinestone should I use for a ballroom or Latin costume?

Light Siam is the standard, because it reads as a clean true red under competition lighting and it is stocked in the full size range needed to grade a design from small stones to large. Vivid Siam is the alternative when the costume needs to hold color at a greater distance. Many designers mix both, using Vivid Siam in high-impact areas and Light Siam across the rest.

What is the difference between Burgundy and Siam?

Burgundy carries purple and reads as a wine red. Siam is a true red with no purple in it. On a dark costume Burgundy blends into the fabric and adds depth, while Siam stands out against it. If you want the stones to read as red from a distance, choose Siam. If you want them to add richness without announcing themselves, choose Burgundy.

Do red rhinestones come in AB?

Yes. Light Siam is available in standard red and also available coated with an aurora borealis (AB) coating, in both Light Siam AB and Light Siam Shimmer AB. The base stone stays red, and the coating adds an iridescent shift over it. Hyacinth has the same two AB options.

How do I match a red rhinestone to red fabric?

Order a rhinestone color chart and lay the stones directly on the fabric in the lighting the piece will be worn in. Red is the hardest color to match from a screen, because monitors and phone cameras compress the difference between a warm red and a cool one, and that difference is the whole decision.