Be well informed before buying crystals and gemstones!

Padma

I found these websites this morning, and I wanted to share them here...it is very easy to be misled by a convincing fake, it even happens to experts in the mineral world - so I thought for many of us who are amateur collectors of crystals, this would be a valuable guide.

It also makes it *very* clear that there are many hoaxters out to make easy money on ebay and the like! Please try to buy from trustworthy sources...

So...please inform yourselves before buying, and also remember: if it looks really odd, really rare, really unusual, really brightly coloured, or just "too good to be true" then it usually IS!

http://www.fakeminerals.com/

http://www.the-vug.com/vug/vugfakes.html

ETA I am adding a website that explains and shows how using your eyes can help you tell a real gemstone (the kind used for making jewelry, not raw stones) from a fake one. Hope it helps!

http://facetingacademy.com/learn-faceting/learn-faceting-free/gem-identification/
 

singerofpeace

This is SUCH great information. There are some man-made and non-natural byproduct things that people can still love, like goldstone, bismuth, zincite, etc., but it's important even then to at least know what you are getting. I feel so sad when people are so amazed that those things come from the earth naturally... when there are so many beautiful things that do! But if you love the man-made ones for what they are, no judgement- they are made that way for a reason, and beloved because they look really cool! I never want to burst anyone's bubble about something they love, because if you love it, you should love it, but for what it is. It's just worthwhile to know what you are getting, and if it is made by earth or man. It's hard to tell sometimes, but this is such extremely helpful information for all of us! Thank you, as always, Padma, for being a gift to all stone-lovers!
 

GotH

This is GREAT information.. :neutral: Thanks for posting this Padma.
 

Barleywine

This is timely! I've been looking for a large quartz crystal point (not gemstones) to replace the one that was stolen some time ago. I've been suspicious of the low prices I've seen on-line since what I want is in the $60 - $100 in our local shops.
 

LoveLight&Peace

Thanks for posting this Padma!

I've been thinking about getting a few more crystals to add to my collection, this is going to come in very handy!
 

Laura Borealis

With quartz, I suspect a lot of the inexpensive but perfect looking, cut and polished, clear quartz is actually glass... but I have no way of confirming that without buying some. There's a scratch test - real quartz will scratch glass. (link)


The other day I saw an expensive "lapis" bead pendant for sale, but the seller had photographed the side where the hole in the bead was. It was white inside. Obviously dyed! Apparently they didn't know, or didn't think about showing that in their photo.


While I was researching girasol (which is a topic in and of itself... I'm still not sure what exactly girasol is and whether what I have is girasol or just pale, translucent rose quartz - but anyway) While researching girasol I ran across something on a community called Gem Addicts. They started out talking about how girasol had disappeared from the market, and they figured out it was being bought up and treated to look like other forms of quartz. It was being resold as lemon/citrine quartz, smoky quartz, and amethyst. I don't know if this person is right, but you can read it and judge for yourself. They talked about it like it was a good thing, too - they sound like they're in the industry and are excited to have this material to work with. Hopefully they don't intend to pass the fraud along to their buyers, but who knows.
 

Padma

Thanks, all - and SingerOfPeace, that was a great point, about knowing what it is you are loving!

and Barleywine, I agree, if it is super cheap, it is likely not the real thing.
 

Padma

With quartz, I suspect a lot of the inexpensive but perfect looking, cut and polished, clear quartz is actually glass... but I have no way of confirming that without buying some. There's a scratch test - real quartz will scratch glass. (link)


The other day I saw an expensive "lapis" bead pendant for sale, but the seller had photographed the side where the hole in the bead was. It was white inside. Obviously dyed! Apparently they didn't know, or didn't think about showing that in their photo.


While I was researching girasol (which is a topic in and of itself... I'm still not sure what exactly girasol is and whether what I have is girasol or just pale, translucent rose quartz - but anyway) While researching girasol I ran across something on a community called Gem Addicts. They started out talking about how girasol had disappeared from the market, and they figured out it was being bought up and treated to look like other forms of quartz. It was being resold as lemon/citrine quartz, smoky quartz, and amethyst. I don't know if this person is right, but you can read it and judge for yourself. They talked about it like it was a good thing, too - they sound like they're in the industry and are excited to have this material to work with. Hopefully they don't intend to pass the fraud along to their buyers, but who knows.

That is odd, about the Girasol! I will have to go to your link and read up! To be honest with you, I had never heard about Girasol before.

The so called Lapis beads - that's common enough! That is like the dying of Howlite to make it look like turquoise.
 

lark

Great info thanks for posting it.
I buy most of my stones from a couple I have known for years and trust them...they have to be very careful too when they buy, lots of fake stuff out there.
 

EmpyreanKnight

Thanks for that, Padma. A trusted shop once tried to sell me a phenakite bracelet (?!?) for less than $70. I first thought it was a huge steal. Then I noped my way out of there, because there is just no conceivable way it would be so cheap.

Reminds me of an old saying. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.