Questioning in case your crystal is actual? Learn to spot pretend, man-made, dyed or handled crystals with actual examples. This beginner-friendly information helps you purchase crystals with confidence…
Have You Unknowingly Purchased Faux Crystals?
I’m scripting this crystal shopping for information as a result of I’ve recognized many individuals who unknowingly purchased pretend or handled crystals. I utterly perceive why this can be a quite common concern folks have when they’re new to crystals or a crystal is ‘new’ to them.
PLEASE NOTE: I’m not right here to FEAR-MONGER or create extra PANIC content material on-line that’s making folks overly paranoid about shopping for any crystal. I converse to so many individuals like this… After studying this weblog submit, I would like you to be educated and in a position to make higher knowledgeable decisions when crystal buying and shopping for crystals on-line.
Not all FAKE Crystals are the identical…
The time period “pretend” is usually misunderstood and misused within the crystal neighborhood. I’m not a fan of black and white considering, nor am I a crystal puritan. It’s way more complicated than that. Let me make clear the various kinds of crystals that might be perceived as pretend so that you perceive what they’re.
Please be aware some crystals will overlap a couple of class.
MAN-MADE STONES
These are stones which can be created from scratch by people. They may use utterly artificial supplies or pure supplies. Most of those that you’ll come throughout aren’t making an attempt to mimic a pure crystal however are their very own factor.
Saying that, folks might use these strategies to create an imitation stone (lined in a while). That’s what most vintage and classic ‘costume jewelry’ was and most fashionable quick style/garments store jewelry nonetheless is right now.
I’ve seen folks promote synthetic crystals like Opalite, as ‘pure’ or as different stones like Opal or Moonstone. Figuring out what the frequent synthetic stones are is the important thing.
EXAMPLES: Goldstone, Opalite, Blue Sandstone/Goldstone, Cat’s Eye, Cherry Quartz
TREATED NATURAL CRYSTALS
Treating naturally rising crystals throughout the gemstone and jewelry trade isn’t new. You should purchase vintage jewelry or could have a household heirloom that was handled not directly. Widespread strategies nonetheless used right now embody warmth treating or oiling. That is often executed to convey out the color, change the color or cover flaws.
This may also be executed to make a crystal look like one other crystal. These therapies are quite common for treasured gems reminiscent of Rubies, Sapphires or Aquamarines. Iradiation with totally different rays can also be used. Some darkish Smoky quartz in the marketplace is created this manner.
Plenty of the Turquoise mined right now is so smooth it will probably’t be carved with out crumbling or breaking. To keep away from losing it, an epoxy resin is used to harden (stabilising/stabilizing) the stones for reducing.
EXAMPLES: Warmth handled ‘Citrine’, Auro Verde, Lemon Quartz, Stabilised Turquoise
LOOKALIKES & IMPOSTER CRYSTALS
This can be a true pretend within the crystal trade, as it’s at all times being bought as one thing that it isn’t. But it surely may also be innocently executed as folks misidentify and mislabel crystals. Or a vendor buys from a provider who bought it to them they usually believed them. It occurs. It’s frequent to have one or two of those in your assortment.
There are actually 1000’s of minerals and plenty of of them look comparable. When one thing is uncommon, costly or in style, fakes seem in the marketplace. One of many best methods to pretend is to promote a less expensive, plentiful and similar-looking stone underneath the identical identify. It’s sneaky and except you might be actually acquainted with the true factor, it’s arduous to identify the distinction.
EXAMPLES: Sodalite as Lapis Lazuli, Serpentine as Jade, Copal as Amber
IMITATION STONES
Imitation stones began within the gem trade and are additionally categorized as ‘Man Made’. Right here I’m speaking about the place the fabric is making an attempt to mimic a pure stone. This may be harmless, to supply folks jewelry that appears pure however with out the worth tag. However it will probably additionally idiot folks and be bought as the real article.
Be good, in case you see the phrase ‘Fake‘ talked about anyplace close to a crystal identify (French for pretend) it’s an imitation stone. Imitation stones usually use low cost supplies like glass, resin and even plastic. A few of these are fairly clearly pretend however even when executed nicely, they’ll fail frequent checks to identify resin, and so on.
MAN-MADE OBSIDIAN? Years in the past, I spoke to an instructional skilled in obsidian who advised me that ALL colored obsidians (blue, inexperienced, pink…) in the marketplace don’t happen anyplace in nature and are synthetic glass. Though all glass can nonetheless be used energetically (it’s principally melted Quartz), it’s solely real ‘Obsidian’ if it’s naturally fashioned volcanic glass.
EXAMPLES: Resin/Glass Amber, Fake Aventurine, Glass/Resin Quartz, Resin/Glass Rose Quartz, Blue/Blue-green Obsidian, Glass Moldavite, Glass Rhinestones, Andara Crystals
DYED CRYSTALS
That is generally known as ‘staining’ within the jewelry trade. Pure crystals could be soaked or partly handled with dye. That is executed to extend the color in decrease high quality stones, add extra colors or utterly change the color of a special, pale or white stone for instance. Dyed stones needs to be labelled as such.
These are often fairly apparent in a crystal store. Dyes sometimes add very vibrant and synthetic colors. To not point out when a stone isn’t usually that color. The worst instance of that is the place a special stone is dyed after which bought as one other.
EXAMPLES: Dyed Agate, Dyed blue howlite/magneseite ‘Turquoise’, Dyed Tiger’s Eye
LAB-GROWN CRYSTALS
These are crystals which can be grown in a laboratory (or anyplace). Often, a ‘seed crystal’ is used to start out the method. That is much like how folks develop crops in a greenhouse. Lab grown crystals, like Quartz are utilized in know-how, together with the machine you might be utilizing proper now.
Lab grown gems are utilized in jewelry and assist convey the worth down and keep away from overmining uncommon and treasured gems, like Diamonds. They often look too excellent as they lack flaws or inclusions. Even the lab grown quartz clusters that appeared in the marketplace in the previous few years don’t develop or look the identical as pure clusters.
EXAMPLES: Siberian Quartz, Pink Lazurine, Lab Bismuth, Lab Tschermigite, Lab Cubic Zirconia
ENHANCED CRYSTALS
That is what I name pure crystals and gems which were specialist handled. This may be executed purely for aesthetics but in addition for metaphysical causes, like aura crystals. It’s because real auras are made utilizing different minerals, semi-precious or treasured metals. All of that are pure in origin and have metaphysical properties too.
The complicated course of creates one thing much like silver or gold plating. It doesn’t change the crystal construction or inside color of the crystals. It’s an ultrathin floor therapy solely. Nonetheless, aura crystals are additionally being faked loads now. Fakers will spray paint a crystal or coat them in acrylic paint or plastic to mimic in style aura crystals…
EXAMPLES: Aqua Aura, Angel Aura, Titanium/Flame Aura, Sunshine Aura, Mystic Topaz
RECONSTITUTED STONES
This isn’t that frequent however it does exist. There are other ways this might be executed however principally it should contain utilizing items of pure crystal or powdered gems. These might be mixed collectively and compressed with a binder reminiscent of resin or glass, for instance.
I imagine the most typical cause that is executed is as a result of there may be simply a lot waste by means of reducing gems and carving crystals. Slightly than throw it away, the items or powder are recycled in case you like. These stones are cheaper than the originals. They’ve a uniform color and lack the pure character or flaws of the unique stone.
I’ve heard about some stones like Quartz and amber being melted/smelted collectively too. Which can also be a type of reconstituted stone to me.
EXAMPLES: Reconstituted Amber, Reconstituted Turquoise, Reconstituted Malachite, Reconstituted Malachite in Azurite
TRUE FAKE CRYSTALS
To make clear, a pretend crystal can be a man-made, lookalike, handled, lab-grown or imitation stone being bought as NATURAL or labelled as a stone that it’s NOT. Crystal sellers ought to disclose dying, therapies, lab-grown or enhancements however generally they simply don’t know.
Simply because somebody sells a crystal on-line with ‘pure’ within the title doesn’t imply it’s…
Remember. Know the names and look of synthetic and generally handled crystals. Any crystal e-book clearly states that Aura crystals are enhanced and the way. I’ve lined recognizing warmth handled Citrine and pretend Moldavite at these hyperlinks. Additionally, see my common suggestions under:
TIPS for Shopping for with Confidence:
- Purchase from trusted and established sources
- Don’t be afraid to ask sellers questions
- Analysis the crystal identify first
- Be cautious with uncommon colors
- Research illustrated crystal, mineral and gemology books
- If the worth is simply too good to be true, it’s a pink flag
- Light-weight and never cool to the contact crystals might be resin
I Have Extra To Say On This…
Properly, I didn’t count on this to be so lengthy. I do have way more to say on this matter. Sooner or later I can go into extra element of the forms of crystal examples above and the way to spot them. I can cowl if they’ve any religious makes use of or if I really feel these therapies might have an effect on them. Let me know if you’d like an element 2!
Have you ever purchased a pretend crystal earlier than or suspect you’ve an imposter? I’d love to listen to from you within the feedback under (PLEASE hold any questions you’ve concise and keep on with this weblog submit matter if you’d like a response).
In case you’re on the lookout for assist with one thing else then please verify to see if I’ve already lined it in a weblog submit by looking out my web site:
Get Your FREE EBOOK and uncover your Guardian Stone HERE!
With gratitude,
Ethan
P.S. In case you really feel I’ve helped you and also you wish to assist me you may share this submit, take a look at my e-books or go away an sincere e-book assessment. Thanks!
Copyright © Ethan Lazzerini – The textual content and photographs shouldn’t be used or seem elsewhere with out permission from the creator Ethan Lazzerini. You’ll be able to share hyperlinks to it however don’t copy it! Thanks.
