I think it’s really important that we talk about a very pertinent and relevant topic:
How to spot fake crystals!
“Fake” in reference to crystals can mean many different things depending on who you ask, but we’ll cover all of them. Dyed stones, heat treated, glass, man made, mislabeled/marketed, etc.
As the crystal community grows, so do the counterfeit dealers! One of the fakes I see most often are the small little bullet shaped points made into pendants, with very over exaggerated color and patterns, that are being sold at extremely low prices and readily available at places like Walmart, Five Below, and Amazon. These are either made from resin/plastic or dyed glass, and possess absolutely no metaphysical properties or vibrational energy.
Another way to spot a fake is if the price is just too good to be true. While I am able to offer stones (IG @petriquartz) at a lower price than most retail metaphysical stores, it’s usually just because those places are OVER charging for their product. While you don’t want to overpay, you also don’t want to underpay, as that is an indication that the stone you are purchasing is not genuine.
If a stone is one with a natural pattern, we want to be sure that the pattern is not completely uniform or symmetrical. A patterned stone that is often faked, as it is on the rarer and pricier side, is malachite. A good way to tell if your malachite is genuine is to see if the stripes on your stone are dark green or black. Black stripes that are very uniform are a tell-tale sign that what you have is a fake.
Now what about heat treated stones??? The vast majority of the time, heat treated amethyst is marketed and sold as citrine. While this isn’t really false, it is a little deceptive. Amethyst and citrine are both varieties of quartz. The only difference is the oxidized state of the iron impurities within the mineral. Naturally occurring citrine is quite rare, which is the result of natural heat and pressure applied to amethyst over a very long period of time. We are able to simulate that effect by heat treating pieces of amethyst in order to speed up the process.
Finally, let’s talk about man made stones. Some of the most popular man made crystals include opalite, goldstone, and blue sandstone. Some people debate whether or not these man made stones still possess any sort of metaphysical properties while not coming directly from the earth. Whether you use them in your own practice or just have them as display pieces in your house is totally up to you! Do what feels right, and if you feel called to them, there is nothing wrong with using them!
I hope that this can offer some insight to anyone just getting starting, or some guidance for anyone looking to purchase crystals! For genuine, ethically sourced stones, be sure to check out Petriquartz on all platforms. The majority of my sales are done via my Facebook group, where I offer exclusive prices for members, as well as frequently host giveaways and live sales once a week or more! Click the links below to join us!!!
linktr.ee/petriquartz
🌙 Crystal Magick 🔮 has 522 members. This is a place to discuss crystals and their healing power, share photos of your collection, and ask fo
