Have you every gazed at someone's voluptuous crystal set and asked yourself, "Are those real?!" Sometimes their beauty is just too much to comprehend so we worry they're fake, especially since the popularity of collecting crystals has increased significantly over the past few years. While many are indeed natural, there are a small handful that have been enhanced or manipulated.
Heat-treated citrine is actually amethyst exposed to very high levels of irradiation so that it appears orange instead of purple. High-quality citrine is less common (and more expensive) than people realize, which is why its heat-treated counterpart is so popular! Natural citrine will have a yellow hue to it when you hold it up to light, whereas heat-treated citrine has a combination of burnt orange and opaque white throughout.
Note: We sell heat-treated citrine in our Protection Kits, and label it as such, as these treated pieces provide protection against negative thoughts.
We don't want to lead you astray here, clear quartz does have cracks and inclusions within its formation. The difference between those that are naturally occurring versus enhanced are the frequency of fragmentation and the cost.
Crackle quartz (aka fire & ice, aka rainbow quartz) has been intentionally fractured through rapid heating and cooling. The shocking contrast in temperatures causes tiny fractures to occur through the quartz to give it the illusion of having more rainbows.
However, natural fire & ice can be found in one specific location in Brazil. The best way to tell if a piece is natural - or not - is going to be based on price rather than appearance. A 2-3 inch piece will be priced around $75 retail.
Aura-treated are typically quartz crystals which have been coated with a metallic substance - like gold, indium, titanium, niobium and copper - to give them an iridescent sheen.
Note: We occasionally aura-treated stones in our shop. If we know what the crystals have been coated with then we will disclose that information as well!
These "crystals" are blends of glass and other materials to give them their color and iridescent quality, and are all synthetic.
Note: We occasionally stock blue sandstone and opalite in our shop because they are beautiful, but we also label them as artificial glass. We promise to be transparent about the stones you're purchasing from us.
Natural colors of agate are typically more Earth tones, while dyed agate is highly saturated and brighter in color. To achieve a specific color, the stone is boiled then soaked in a series of chemical solutions.
We love the color turquoise! It's in our logo! But some turquoise - typically the "stones" found in inexpensive jewelry - is often dyed howlite or even painted plastic. The man-manipulated version can be difficult to spot, but the best trick is to go by price. Natural turquoise is going to be heavier and more expensive.
Malachite is a gorgeous green stone with waves, rings and swirls that give it its signature look. Synthetic malachite, however, tends to have less variation in pattern and color (typically green and black).
Now, we're not trying to discourage you from buying cosmetically enhanced crystals, we want you to be aware of what you're purchasing and what's in your collection! All crystals are for everyone!
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