Stones: Natural? Dyed? Modified?

[shelikes2read]

I've seen some discussion recently, both here and on another crystals forum, about natural vs. human-altered stones. Some people maintain that they prefer to use stones that are unmodified in any way. Others are entirely at ease using stones that have been sculpted, heat-treated, dyed, and so on. This might well be a topic that is worth touching on, just to get everyone thinking about what they like best and, perhaps, to expand all our perspectives a bit.

I normally prefer stones that are their natural color, rather than dyed or treated. But if I were to encounter a stone that resonates with me, I'm going to look into getting it and using it no matter if it's been altered or not.

After all, I have got tumbled stones and spheres, two things that don't normally occur in nature. (Well, tumbled stones might, in the presence of running water, but most tumbled stones available for purchase are tumbled by humans.) I have beads that have been shaped and drilled, both of which are conditions that don't occur in nature. Our lovely faceted gems that we use in jewelry have all been reshaped by human hands, as well. So it's reasonable to state that most, if not all, of us are no strangers to benefiting from the energies of human-altered stones.

So for me, the primary rule of thumb is always, "Does this stone resonate with me?" If it does, then I am going to be able to work with it.

Incidentally, honest dealers of beads and stones will list, right there in the catalog, whether a bead has been dyed, heat-treated, etc. to enhance its color. They will also differentiate between things like imitation versions of a stone, such as "Imitation Turquoise made from dyed Howlite", so the purchaser knows precisely what they are paying for.

So, where do you stand on all this? Do you approach the issue from the standpoint that a crystal is a crystal is a crystal, regardless of whether it's in raw form or modified in some way? Or do you prefer your stones to be in the same state that they were when they were taken from the ground?

[baylys]

I cannot stand dyed, heat-treated or irradiated crystals. I love raw crystals and I have a few, but I use tumbled crystals for kits etc, where the stones are rubbing against each other as they are a bit more resistant to this kind of treatment. I don't use beads, simply because that is not my kind of jewellry. I have no problems with the shape being altered to enhance the beauty of the crystal.

[Hemera]

Originally Posted by shelikes2read

After all, I have got tumbled stones and spheres, two things that don't normally occur in
So for me, the primary rule of thumb is always, "Does this stone resonate with me?" If it does, then I am going to be able to work with it.

I have never really known where I stand with all this. I have always liked tumbled stones but disliked most colored stones. It used to annoy me that it is sometimes very difficult to say if the stone has been colored or treated in some way.
But yes, I think the most important question is after all the one above: Does it resonate with me? That is an excellent rule of the thumb, thank you shelikes2read!

[shelikes2read]

One of the best things you can do, in order to identify whether a stone has been color-enhanced in any way (dye, heat treatment, irradiation) is to read as many non-metaphysical books as you can get your hands on about gems, minerals, and rockhounding in general. When you read about IDing rocks in nature, you'll see examples of what the non-enhanced color of the stone looks like. When you read about gems and minerals that are modified for sale to the public, such as for jewelry, you will find explanations on what gems are color-enhanced and how.

Science museum gift shops used to be places where I'd get mineral specimens. Now, however, they seem to have determined that kids are more likely to purchase brightly-colored stones than the less-eye-catching stones that are their natural color. So it has become a bit harder to get hold of non-enhanced stones via that method. The best thing to do is determine what the stone normally looks like, and you'll be able to spot the enhanced ones more easily.

[The crowned one]

For art pieces or jewelry I can accept an enhancement as long is it is made clear it has been modified to make more "valuable" in some way, after all that is what enhancements are.

For my minerals 100% no. Fossils, I will accept up to 50% repair in some cases.

[wildchilde]

I think you pretty much said it all for me in your original post.

I make gemstone jewelry, so I work with a lot of stones that have been shaped into "unnatural" forms like drilled beads and carved beads, etc. This doesn't take away from the strength of them for me. Oddly, I don't mind dyed stones if it is made clear that they have been dyed, but I don't like "color-enhanced" pieces...these are pieces that are dyed a darker or lighter color of their natural hue. I see no point in that and I feel like it takes away from the natural beauty, like a beautiful person having plastic surgery, just completely unnecessary!

For healing work, I prefer natural rough pieces and tumbled stones, but sometimes other stones want to get in on the fun too, like spheres and carved pieces. I haven't really had much experience with lab created stuff...I did get some lab created sapphires just to see what they looked/felt like but I'm not that crazy about them. They just don't look "right", but I haven't tried to use them for anything healing wise, so I don't know if being lab created has had any affect on their healing properties.

[shelikes2read]

The only lab-created pieces I have are some quartz spheres. I have a few natural spheres, also, but my favorite scrying tool is an optically clear sphere. And since a natural optically-clear quartz sphere is priced way beyond my budget, I'm willing to use lab-grown quartz for that.

In my experience with those, I have discovered that there are certain energies that are naturally present with silicon dioxide (quartz) that are always present, regardless of its origin. Energies imparted to the stone that come from its "experience" or history will vary from stone to stone anyway, and of course a lab-grown stone's history will differ vastly from that of a stone that was naturally grown. So it all depends on what particular energies you're tapping I to, that will help determine if a particular stone will be the right tool for the job at hand.

[greatdane]

or what started out as a great piece, is then treated to help the stability of the stone. I found that out from someone who worked for a company that sold expensive turquoise jewelry. I prefer natural, or just polished, but no more than that, when using a stone for something other than looks. I had to go to a fair that had dealers to find raw chunks and just lightly polished ones. I'm sure you can get online, but I like to see a stone in person and talk to the dealer.

[shelikes2read]

Originally Posted by greatdane

or what started out as a great piece, is then treated to help the stability of the stone. I found that out from someone who worked for a company that sold expensive turquoise jewelry. I prefer natural, or just polished, but no more than that, when using a stone for something other than looks. I had to go to a fair that had dealers to find raw chunks and just lightly polished ones. I'm sure you can get online, but I like to see a stone in person and talk to the dealer.

Where Turquoise is concerned, anyone who is interested in that stone is going to have to make sure they're knowledgable about that stone. You're right -- many if not most true Turquoise pieces are treated in this way.

There is also the issue that there are MANY imitation turquoise pieces on the market. Real turquoise pieces that are gem-quality and large or moderate-sized are not common, and as such, they are costly. So there are many, many imitiation turquoise pieces out there made of dyed Howlite (or other stones), or of man-made materials entirely. So learning what the Real Deal looks like will help you spot the imitation pieces -- because some are mislabeled due to an honest mistake on the part of the seller, and others could be mislabeled by a dealer who is being less than scrupulous.

[Tarot Orat]

I don't object to stability-enhancers for the softest or most fragile stones, because I like knowing that my stone is tough enough to use (if only gently). I've accepted that most faceted emerald is oiled, and since this treatment is not permanent I can live with it. I don't like the permanent treatments like irradiation or heat. Dye is just....just...um. For display pieces, or if it's SUCH an obviously dyed piece that I can picture the true color of the stone clearly, it's not as awful.

My non-metaphysical gemstone collection has a ton of heat-treated sapphires, but when I got the sapphire for my engagement ring, I made sure it was all-natural! (Bought it from my favorite gem dealer and let him know what it was for; he made sure I got a good one.)

ETA: I view stablity treatments as a little like laminating Tarot cards...you're not in such direct touch but they don't get worn out BY touch.