Manufacturer of high-quality binoculars, riflescopes, spotting scopes and telescopes for hunting, birdwatching and outdoor use.
SWAROVSKI-OPTIK AG & Co KG
Absam (headquarters) · Cranston, RI (North America customer service)New on Amplifa
About SWAROVSKI OPTIK
SWAROVSKI OPTIK is an Austrian manufacturer of precision optics headquartered in Absam, Tyrol. The company produces binoculars, riflescopes, spotting scopes (telescopes), thermal imaging devices and accessories for the applications of hunting, birdwatching and outdoor use. Production includes precision optics manufacturing, including prism grinding and lens grinding based on optical glass and fluoride-containing HD lenses; raw glass production historically traces back to the Swarovski Group's own glass melting facility. Highly precise manufacturing, carefully selected materials and advanced optical technologies such as SWAROVISION and SWAROBALANCE ensure image clarity, edge sharpness and color fidelity. Every component and every finished device undergoes rigorous quality controls. As part of the Swarovski Group, the company serves customers worldwide; a dedicated customer service operation for North America is located in Cranston, USA.
- Site
- A-6067 Absam
- Processes
- Precision optics manufacturing (binoculars, riflescopes, telescopes), Glass production (glass melting, raw glass manufacturing), Prism grinding and lens grinding, Quality control/inspection of all components and devices
- Materials
- Crystal glass, Optical glass, Fluoride-containing HD lenses (glass), Fluoride-containing HD lenses, Prism grinding & lens grinding
- Founded
- 1949
- Industries
- Hunting, Birdwatching, Outdoor
- 01
Development
- 02
Raw glass/optical glass provision
- 03
Prism grinding and lens grinding
- 04
Assembly
- 05
Quality control
- 06
Sales & customer service
Materials & Processes
Optical glass
Base material for lenses and prisms of the binoculars, riflescopes and spotting scopes.
Fluoride-containing HD lenses
Minimize chromatic aberrations and ensure color fidelity and edge sharpness.
Prism grinding & lens grinding
Historically developed grinding process for prisms and optical components.
Locations
Absam
ATHeadquarters with production and showroom
- Materials
- Optical glass, fluoride-containing HD lenses
- Lens grinding
- Prism grinding
Cranston, RI
USNorth America customer service
Components & Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precision optics manufacturing (binoculars, riflescopes, telescopes)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Glass |
| Glass production (glass melting, raw glass manufacturing)Casting | – | – | – | – | Crystal glass, Optical glass |
| Prism grinding and lens grindingMachining | – | – | – | – | Glass, Crystal glass |
| Quality control/inspection of all components and devicesTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical grinding apparatus (lens grinding) | Swarovski | – | – | 1892 | Wattens / Absam, Tyrol |
| Glass melting furnace (laboratory) | D. Swarovski | – | – | 1910/11 | Wattens-Au |
| Außerachen hydroelectric power plant | Swarovski | 1 | Output 603 kW | 1906 | Wattental |
History
- 1935
First Swarovski binoculars (6×30) with a prism grinding process developed by Wilhelm Swarovski
- 1949
Founding of SWAROVSKI OPTIK KG in Absam; production of the Habicht 7×42
- 1959
First riflescope (4×32)
- 1967
First extendable spotting scope (30×75)
- 1974
Acquisition of Kahles
- 1977
Kahles becomes a branch of Swarovski Optik
- 1989
Kahles becomes an independent company again within the Swarovski Group
- 1991
First AT 80 telescope
- 1993
First riflescope with illuminated reticle
- 1995
First riflescope with integrated laser rangefinder
- 1999
First binoculars with wrap-around grip shape (EL)
- 2007
First riflescope with 6x zoom
- 2016
First riflescope with 8x zoom
- 2017
Kahles reintegrated into the sales and marketing programs of the Swarovski Group