10 Facts About Buying Crystals That Will Make You Think Twice

Tips on how to go about buying crystals is something I haven't seen talked about a lot, but it should be since everyone and their brother are selling crystals nowadays. And I'm not hating it, but after being burned a few times I want to share with you the tips I've learned along the way.

Without taking your crystals to a lab to get their mineral composition, what can you do? First, you need to get yourself educated on what you're looking to buy and what it should look like. That being said, sometimes people post pictures of something and it can be impossible to tell what it is.

While not everyone wants to become a crystal expert, you may want to do a quick google search or check Mindat for the crystal you're interested in to see the many different variances that can show up in the crystal.

For instance, say you're interested in getting Rose Quartz which we know is pink. But it could be a pale pink or a brighter pink and it helps you to have that reference point in your mind knowing how differently the minerals grow.

If you're looking for Chrysocolla, then there are many different ways the crystal could look like light teal, teal, green or a mix of teal and green on a copper color matrix (matrix being the material the crystal grew on).

Spotting Crystal Fakes

Sometimes you may encounter fake crystals and sometimes the seller will just not know what they are selling. Either they are a new seller or whoever they purchased their crystals from gave them the wrong information.

Aura Treated. While not "fake" per se, aura treated crystals have metals bonded to them during a high heat process that makes them pretty. From rainbows to even color changes (like clear quartz appearing gold due to an aura treatment) there's a ton of different options to see. Some people hate them, some people love them but I just want you to know that it doesn't come out of the earth that way.

Glass or Quartz? Sometimes someone may sell glass as clear quartz, but your first tip-off will be that you will see tiny air bubbles in the glass.

Turquoise or Howlite? Fake turquoise is a thing. Your first tip-off that it's fake is the price. If it's fairly cheap, it's most likely fake. People will take Howlite and dye it turquoise and then pass it off. If you see "turquoise" beads in a craft store they should have a label that specifies that it's "genuine" turquoise but usually for the price it will read "turquoise colored" even though it says "genuine stone" with that stone most likely being Howlite.

Amethyst or Citrine? Good quality citrine isn't cheap, but you can find tons of baked amethyst being sold as citrine. They take a piece of amethyst, stick it in an oven, heat it up and voila! Now you've got "citrine." You will also see these with other crystals where smokey quartz will look black or a piece of topaz that is very vibrant.

The earth naturally heats up quartz where we then get amethyst, citrine and smoky quartz, but there are people who want to make their less than ideal specimens more desirable. You'll usually spot them because the color is more intense at the tip-top points of the crystals. And it will crumble and fall apart easily.

Unnatural Colors. Agate slices and bookends pieces are often dyed bright pink, teal, green and purple. You'll also find some type of quartz clusters dyed bright colors as well. If it's vibrant and the color is uniform, that's your tip-off that it's most likely ain't natural.

Goldstone + Opalite. Are not natural minerals, they are man-made colored glass. Pretty, yes. Natural crystal, nope.

Charged, Blessed + Programmed

Sometimes sellers like to make their listing seem more valuable by stating that the crystal is either reiki charged, blessed or programmed. Maybe you want some stranger’s energy on your crystal and maybe you don't.

If you respect and know who you're buying crystals from and having their energy infused into the crystal is important to you, fine. If you're not into it, then know you can clear and re-tune the crystal yourself. Either way, it's up to you if you believe it is a value-added service.

Bait + Switch Antics

I've seen this trick a lot on eBay where there are a few listings for a crystal from one seller. They have different images and maybe different price points, but the description is either vague where there are no details or dimensions given or the details are exactly the same in both listings.

A Bowl Full Of Crystals

When you see a bowl full of crystals or a bunch of crystals spread out in a listing photo, you're probably going to get a random crystal. It will not be one you select and it will not necessarily be the best of the bunch.

If you want a specific crystal, make sure you see that it is noted in their listing somewhere that you will get the crystal shown in the photo.

Reconstituted Crystals

These are "crystals" called reconstituted which is when they take a bunch of small amounts of a crystal and melt it, then form it into beads or a new shape, but it is not in its original condition.

Photoshop Filters

I got burned by this one. I bought a Ruby in Kyanite sphere that was very pretty light pink but if I had done my research, I'd know that those lighter specimens are a bit rarer. I’m still happy with my crystal, but unhappy that someone would doctor their photos and not mention that in their listing.

Here's what I thought I was buying (left) and what I actually received (right).

Ruby in Kyanite Listing Photo

What I actually got.

The only way to guard yourself is to ask the seller to take a picture outside so you can get an accurate read on the color. And read their reviews, because maybe others got burned by photoshop tricks.

Crystals At HomeGoods, TJ Maxx + Other Retailers

Buying crystals at home decor retailers isn't always a bad idea, but again you need to know what you're buying because I've seen a lot of dyed rocks and overpriced crystals (and sometimes not great quality) with a price tag that's no’t horrible, but you can definitely find something better for less.

Best Place To Buy Crystals In USA

I've written a post on what I think the best places you should check out for buying crystals online in the USA. Always do your research and read the reviews.

And get yourself acquainted with price points. I've literally seen some retailers charging 30% more than what you can get the crystal for if you did some comparison shopping.

Crystal Subscription Boxes

There are quite a few crystal subscription box services online that I think are great for the beginner collector looking for common crystals.

You will find that you won't need to be a member for too long to start your journey to becoming a crystal hoarder.

However, you will find with some crystal subscription boxes that the quality of the crystals isn't always fabulous. You may find that either you're getting a crystal that is tiny, maybe not very high quality or something that is even misidentified.

It's a great way for you to learn more about crystals, but know that if you're after quantity more than quality it may be a good way to go while you learn.

If you're looking for some rarer crystals through a subscription service, you'll want to check out Enchanted Crystals as I've received quite a few unique and rare crystals that I haven't through any other service. Their crystals are packaged very well

You're Buying Crystals From Where?

One goal you should have is to find a reputable retailer to buy your crystals from with the goal being that they know where the crystal came from and it changes as few hands as possible.

Some retailers will list a source country of origin on their websites, some crystals will have a sticker on them with the country the crystal originated from and most times it's anyone's guess.

Beyond that, you may be curious about the country of origin, their mining practices, labor laws, if they're carbon neutral, and if they use child labor in the mining process. Most retailers aren't buying directly from the mine but through a wholesaler at a trade show that may or may not have a relationship with the mine.

Know that if finding out any of that information is important to you before buying crystals, you will be hard-pressed to get all the information you're seeking. Some retailers simply don't know, having bought a lot of their stock from trade shows and their wholesalers where that information may not be available to them.

Skip Buying From Gurus

And by gurus, I mean skip buying crystals from celebrities. They will up the price of a crystal because their name is attached to it. It isn't any more special because they're selling it unless they come to deliver it personally to your home. And 9 times out of 10, you can find a more affordable version of the item somewhere else.

Take these tips to heart when buying crystals because it is a lucrative multi-billion dollar industry.