searching for a crystal ball?

[sagewriter]

my size was 80mm, which was as big as i wanted to go. so 60mm sounds fine!

i don't think the colour really matters, it's juts whatever you feel comfortable with.

And no, I didn't get a book. I will probably look towards the internet first, then get a book if it can't help me

 

[wizzle]

Dear Val,

60mm is actually a pretty decent size. i have one ball that's 60mm and another that's 95mm. The problem with the big one is that is it very heavy. The 60mm is easier to hold in your hand, if you are like I am and like to move here and there to scry. With a larger ball you are pretty much stuck with using it at a table or on some other surface. So I usually end up using my smaller ball more.

 

[sharpchick]

60 mm is about 2.4 inches, right? (But I cannot convert pounds to US dollars, sorry. . . )

Here is a link to a website of an owner of a quartz mine abiut 55 miles from me:

http://www.jimcolemancrystals.com/angelite/angsph1.htm (These are angelite spheres. . . Here is a link to the index: http://www.jimcolemancrystals.com/ And here is the one to the crystal spheres: http://www.jimcolemancrystals.com/spheres/sph1.htm

I can vouch for the quality of his crystals. I prefer to get all of mine from him, and have only rarely had to look for online sources.

 

[stella01904]

60mm seems very small, though! Do you guys think this is too small (this will be my first crystal ball).

MM ~ 60mm is workable, it's a bit on the small side but better to purchase a small sphere and start working with it, than to just dream of getting a large one. People scry in all kinds of things and the only drawback to a small sphere is that it may be a bit tiring to the eyes. I've worked with a 60mm glass sphere and it can be done, but I wouldn't go any smaller. The advantage is that it's very portable, you can make a padded bag for it and take it to all kinds of interesting locations to experiment, with no one the wiser.

A good rule of thumb is the old John Dee "size of an orange" rule. A small orange is a little under 3 inches (about 70 mm) and a big orange is about 4 inches, right? You really don't need anything bigger.

And what about color.. is crystal clear easiest for a beginner? or does it not really matter (light colors such as Rosaline).

I like a clear depth best. My favorite sphere is my smokey quartz but I also like clear quartz and glass. Shiny black is good, magic mirrors are shiny black and the Aztecs scryed in obsidian. Other than that, I'd avoid the opaque and go for clear.

Anndd..what book is highly recommended for a beginner?

Use the search option here, there's been threads done on this. My favorite book on the subject is Theodore Besterman's Crystal-Gazing.
Remember not to expect instant results, you will most likely have to practice!
It's well worth doing, though.
BB, Stella

 

[seaweed]

I just got my new Gaelsong catalog and I see that they have a few nice things. Lead-free pure quartz crystal balls: 6cm=$20 (£11.5,) 8cm=$40 (£23,) 10cm=$64 (£36.8,) buy one of each for $100 (£57.5)—they come in clear, lavender and sea green. They come with carved rosewood stands and satin-covered boxes. They also have nice tarot bags for each element and the Druidcraft Tarot. It's such a pretty, pretty catalog in general. Here are the links:

Crystal Balls: http://www.gaelsong.com/Gcart/index.cfm?page=_ProductDetails&ProductId=WD9120

Tarot Bags: http://www.gaelsong.com/gcart/index.cfm?page=_ProductDetails&ProductId=B9005

Druidcraft Tarot: http://www.gaelsong.com/gcart/index.cfm?page=_ProductDetails&ProductId=M6155

 

[stella01904]

MM ~ Those are perfect, and the price is fair. One caveat, though: I have a stand like the one on the green sphere (not from this store but quite probably the same manufacturers in China, it looks identical) and it's not rosewood, it's some light-colored wood with a very thick shiny paint on it. Mine looked like it had actually been dipped several times, the paint was globbed in the openwork carving, so I stripped it and re-stained it to look like rosewood, then rubbed it with linseed oil. It's quite nice now but it's not real rosewood.
That said, if you use a stand, a dark-colored wood stand like this is MUCH less distracting than those shiny metal pedastal things with dragons, Isis, wolves, etc., pretty as some of them are.
BB, Stella

 

[Valerieb66]

conclusion

Thank you all so much for the interesting information on this subject! I really got the help i needed

I finally did conclude to buying this one: http://www.gebode.com/proddetail.php?prod=AZFC60RO

With a small/glass stand:
http://www.gebode.com/proddetail.php?prod=AZFCHM50

The stand doesn't have any huge (silver/gold) things on it (like most) so that I can concentrate 100% on the ball.

I can't wait to recieve it!!! It will be delivered around 26 November in Chicago, where my dad lives - i'm visiting for a week.

Sagewriter, did you recieve your crystal ball yet??

 

[seaweed]

What a wonderful website! They must be selling at wholesale prices!

 

[sagewriter]

Sagewriter, did you recieve your crystal ball yet??

Probably. But my boyfriend got it for my birthday (although I have to wait for the christmas holidays to get it from his house).
so i still have a while to wait yet!


i can't wait to open it though!!!



the ball you bought looks so pretty!!

 

[wizzle]

jim coleman mines

Thanks for the information about jim coleman mines, sharpchick. I'd seen the website and the prices looked good, so it was nice to know you've dealt with them and been pleased.

I visited TJ Maxx a couple of weeks ago hoping to find some good stands for my new balls (I have a charoite on order). I found two great crystal candleholders, the sort meant to hold a fat candle. Since they are heavy themselves, they make a very stable base for the spheres. Plus they look really great. And real bargains, too. One was $5 and the other $10. The new agey places always want an arm and a leg for this simple item.