INSIDE: When you know how to spot natural crystals verses fake ones, you can feel more confident in the purchases you make. Use these tips to help you learn how to tell if a crystal is real or not.
Because crystal therapy is rapidly gaining in popularity, we are seeing more and more synthetic crystals on the market. For people who are new to collecting gemstones, this can be a real challenge.
It’s disheartening when we end up not only spending money on a fake, but also not getting the crystal we wanted.
Science Magazine has posted interesting research results, showing that synthetic Quartz not only does not have the same properties but is much more prone to developing anomalies and breaking.
So, what is the distinction between a fake and a real gemstone? What is the research guarantee that the crystal we bought is a real one?
Well, if you’re wondering how you can determine whether a certain crystal is the real deal, without extravagant science experiments at your disposal, you’re in the right place.
Here’s everything you need to know about fake vs. natural crystals…
Characteristics Of Natural Gemstones
Natural gemstones are products of nature. They are the results of years and centuries of formation, and interactions with the earth, minerals, water, air, light, and darkness.
In other words, they can’t be formed overnight.
Crystal structure takes a long, long time to form, which is what makes natural gemstones so precious.
Natural crystals hold energy and are high-vibrational, which can be immediately felt when holding one. As they are exposed to all of the shifts that occur in nature, they form a specific structure and resilience, also absorbing very unique energies.
As a result, they have an extremely unique ‘’energy DNA,’’ as well as incredible healing powers.
While synthetic crystal makers can imitate the magic ingredients a natural gemstone is made of, what they can’t do is imitate nature and energy.
This means that yes when buying a synthetic crystal, you might have the minerals and chemicals in place, but without the quality and the healing properties.
Natural crystals are stronger and have characteristic growth structures and markings that show their history.
Generally speaking, when learning how to tell if a crystal is real, you can look to the Moh’s hardness scale. Real crystals score higher on the scale, which means they are much more resilient to damage and scratches.
How to Tell if a Crystal is Fake?
Synthetic gemstones can be lab-grown, created by something called flux-growth, or through the melting process.
None of those procedures creates healing properties. It is so common to see fake pieces that are colored and modified plastic or glass.
Aside from the price and look of crystals, some other things can help you figure out whether they are real or not.
There are a few tests and measures of precaution that you can do to be certain that what you’re purchasing is a gift from nature, and not just another low-quality man-made product.
Always Shop From a Reputable Seller
This is the safest way to ensure that the crystals you order are indeed what are promised. Reputable sellers are verified by numerous buyers, plenty of which have a lot of experience with crystals.
Do look for positive feedback and reviews – the more, the better. Shopping from a reputable seller is the best measure of precaution you can take, as until the crystal arrives, all you have is a pretty picture.
You can read about the grading system that we use for our geodes and crystals here.
Trust the Name
A crystal that has an overly exotic name such as Strawberry Quartz, Blue Moonstone, Arizona Spinel, or Smoky Topaz is more likely than not, a fake. These are almost always chemically treated, made in the lab, modified, or made of plastic.
But, it can be hard to tell since there are plenty of similar-sounding crystal names that are natural, such as Smoky Quartz, Blue Apatite, and Snowflake Obsidian.
The best way to stay away from fake names is to inform yourself on the names of natural crystals.
Test the Hardness Yourself
Natural crystals and stones are far less fragile than synthetic ones.
For instance, on a scale of mineral hardness that goes from 1 to 10, natural Quartz is a 7. This means that any formation that scored lower than that won’t be able to scratch or damage it.
- Find your crystal on the Moh’s scale here.
- Scratch your crystal with a mineral that is lower than it on the scale.
- If it gets damaged, you’ve received something that was made in a lab.
WARNING: Make sure the crystal you are scratching isn’t a softer natural crystal. Each crystal on the Moh’s scale can be scratched by itself or any crystals above it. No crystals can be scratched by any below it on the scale.
If your crystal has sharp edges, you might also choose to test the hardness by using it to scratch glass or plastic. Most real crystals will leave a scratch mark on those materials.
Test the Weight
Natural…
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