Georg Friedrich Strass was an Alsatian jeweler and inventor of imitation gemstones. He is best known as the inventor of the rhinestone, called strass in many European languages, from a particular type of crystal he found in the river Rhine. Wikipedia
Born: May 29, 1701, Wolfisheim, France
Died: December 22, 1773 (age 72 years), Paris, France
Nationality: French
Known for: Inventor of the rhinestone (aka strass)