Crystal Ball

[mac22]

I was wandering around the local bric-a-brac market yesterday in my town and noticed a small crystal ball. I've never really done any scrying, apart from candle and fire, but this ball called to me lol. I took it from its box and looked into it, I saw reflections and colours mainly but it was a new and different experience. The stall holder said it was old, its in a battered silk lined box with a little stand - he then knocked down the price for me so I ended up walking away with a crytal ball measuring 2 1/2 inches high for just £4, which is a bargain.

But how can you tell if its crystal or glass? It has no marks, except where its been dropped at least once - luckily it just adds to the beauty of it, so its just clear, its very heavy and cold. I bought it thinking it must be glass but now I'm not so sure.

I know next to nothing about crystal scrying so though I would ask and see who does it on here.

Edited to add:-

I've wanted a crystal ball for years and couldn't believe my luck when I saw a small one just sitting there looking lonely.

congrats on a fine bargain.

I bought my first crystal 3"[which is genuine and about 80 yrs old in 1971]

My second which is 2 1/2" [reconstituted crystal]

I enjoy scrying.

As for ways to tell crystal from glass... most non-reconstituted crystals contain tiny flaws ... not bubbles....

 

[Aura Wolf]

Well...I'm not sure if I should post this in Crystals & Herbs, but since we're on the subject....

I bought one. I went back and they had a lot of new ones. However most of them were quite small and seemed to be colour treated or frosted... the one I bought was considerably larger and is definitely crystal, as I was assured. The price was $74, not including the $20 stand (I know, I splurged).

However there wasn't actually a label on it, so I don't know what kind of crystal it is or what type, after reading the above post. It's about 3-4 inches in diameter and clear, with many large and small bubbles inside. I know it's not glass for sure, so I'm assuming this was the desired effect when making the crystal ball. It's quite pretty. It reflects light well and the bottom of the ball is treated slightly on the outside surface with a slight irredescent film (this is what I noticed the first time I saw it) that sort of captures the light and projects itself. I wish I knew what kind of crystal it was, but it had no label and aside from assuring me that it was indeed crystal, the lady that worked at the store didn't know anything else about it, since it didn't have a box or anything. I trust that they are right however, judging by the price and the fact that everything in that case was crystal. I wish I knew more about it, though.

You really seem to know your stuff, DeLani, so judging by this info on the ball do you think you could tell me what it might be? It would be much appreciated. I'm guessing it's a mixture of crystal and glass, or something of that nature...

 

[Astraea]

Sounds like a beautiful globe, Dead Star! I know you'll enjoy it.

I'm confused -- if I'm understanding what has been said above, then genuine crystal balls can have bubbles within them, which the gemologist I referred to earlier says is not the case; he tells me that bubbles are caused by air introduced during a heating process, and that natural crystals don't have them. Can someone straighten me out?

 

[mac22]

Sounds like a beautiful globe, Dead Star! I know you'll enjoy it.

I'm confused -- if I'm understanding what has been said above, then genuine crystal balls can have bubbles within them, which the gemologist I referred to earlier says is not the case; he tells me that bubbles are caused by air introduced during a heating process, and that natural crystals don't have them. Can someone straighten me out?

natural crystals can & do indeed have flaws...but NOT BUBBLES

 

[purple_scorp]

Hello All.

In the book that came with Titania's Crystal ball kit, she says traditionally, most people use a white or black cloth under their ball, made from silk or velvet or similar. Titania also suggests to try other coloured cloths for focusing on particular questions. Pink for love life, yellow for study/business, green for health etc.

Cheers
purple_scorp

 

[Aura Wolf]

Well no, it's not a natural crystal from what I can tell. If it were it would have been much more expensive. From what I understand it's probably leaded crystal mixed with glass, which I'm sure could have bubbles...what I meant was that these bubbles were obviously meant to be put there, as there are a lot of them.

I'll have to keep practicing with it though. As drawn to it as I was, it's a little tougher to focus with all those bubbles, as they're quite distracting Any pointers? I'm realizing it's not the best thing to scry with, but I can't bring myself to take it back because it seems to have been waiting for me and I've never seen anything like it. Perhaps its purpose for me is to project the images into my mind rather than in itself. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

 

[Emily]

This is probably a daft question but how do they get the balls so round with no molding marks or obvious flaws. I still do think that my ball is a crystal/glass mix but with it being completely clear, no heatwaves, bubbles, flaws - I'm wondering how they make them.

I know when glass is blown thats when you get the bubbles and when its molded glass you usually get mold marks but how do they get completely clear flawless spheres? I suppose with pure crystals its just the cutting and polishing to get them round.

Hi Dead Star, you crystal ball sounds lovely and if it called to you, like mine did, then you should have some good experiences with it. If you can get the right focus then you will be able to use it. I used to use fire and candles.

 

[Astraea]

Dead Star, maybe the bubbles are like worlds-within-worlds, and they will actually enhance your scrying once you have been able to spend some time with your globe. It sounds beautiful.

Thanks to all who answered my question about crystals and bubbles.

I'd always assumed that the globes got to be so round by a grinding process, and that the cheaper ones weren't ground so carefully (leaving mold marks) -- but it's an interesting question, now I'm wondering, too, Emily!

 

[DeLani]

Dear Dead Star:
It is definitely NOT a quartz crystal if it has bubbles in it. Though the lady at the shop assured you it was crystal, unless it is surprisingly heavy, it is probably just glass. In making "crystal," there are usually NO bubbles or other imperfections. You can't "mix" this type of crystal and glass, since they're the same thing; crystal just has lead added to it. It may indeed have some lead content, but unless it is of a certain percentage (I think it is 20%, but I'm not sure), it cannot technically be called crystal. But that doesn't stop sales clerks from claiming it, though. Especially since you say it has some sort of "treatment" to the surface to make it look shiny or pearly - I'm willing to bet money that it's just glass.
Now don't get me wrong; I have nothing against either glass or "crystal" balls. I just want to make sure everyone knows exactly what they are getting. As long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters.

 

[Aura Wolf]

Hmm. Well it seems to me that it must have a certain percentage of lead in it. For its size it is indeed surprisingly heavy, which makes me believe it has to be more than just glass. I doubt if it were it would have cost me $75, I'd think it would have been much cheaper. I'm beginning to wonder if the "bubbles" inside are actually just smaller round balls or beads that have been somehow inserted inside during production? I don't know but based on the cost of the item and its surprising weight, it has to have at least some percentage of lead in it. It's very doubtful that I was ripped off from such a store. They actually didn't know the prices or anything when I called them about it, when I got there they had them written on a piece of paper. I asked them over the phone what they were made of, so it's not like I specified that I wanted crystal. They had to look everything up from the consumer I'm guessing, and didn't tell me until afterwards that it was crystal, so I know she wasn't lying to me. Just makes it all the more confusing...

Even if it is leaded crystal/glass, and has just enough percentage of lead to be called "crystal", doesn't it still contain enough pure glass to have bubbles inside (if that's what they really are)?