How to tell if a crystal is real

Fake Vs. Real Crystals

7 Easiest Ways to Tell If a Crystal is Real or Not!

Hey all Crystal Peeps! I usually get a lot of questions about how to tell if a crystal is real or fake! But I never realized the intensity of the fear, or I would have addressed this issue much sooner. So, I have been working on this blog for quite some time, but the list keeps getting longer and longer. Since crystal healing is having a moment, we see more fake and synthetic crystals in the market. For beginners, finding the real crystals can be a real challenge.

Picked from mother Earth, gemstones are energy treasures that work magic when it comes to deep healing. Fake crystals are out there, and knowing how to tell if a crystal is real or not will make it a whole lot easier for you. Though fake gems don’t cause you any harm, you deserve to get what exactly you paid for.

Therefore, you must be better equipped and informed to mark the telltale differences between the fake and real crystals. So, let’s jump in to learn some expert tips that will help pick real crystals from dressed-up rocks.

How to tell if a Crystal is real, artificial, or an all-out fake?

Know that a group of people is trying to manipulate your trust by producing fake copies of the crystal, selling them at too good prices, and calling it a so-called “Perfect Purchase.” Therefore, get sound background knowledge and make notes about a crystal before you finally buy one.

It can only be possible if you know how to differentiate between natural, enhanced, and fake crystals. The best possible way for sure is to run lab tests. But you can always use your mad-crystal-skills and a little magic of geology to make a strong guess.

So, let’s get more familiar with the types of fake crystals out there, along with their energy levels and common culprits.  

Dyed Crystals

Many people, even businesses, dye the natural minerals in some specific color to enhance them visually. Harsh but true; sometimes, the end product doesn’t have a mere glimpse of the original color. You can’t use them for healing purposes due to their muted energies.

Common Examples: Most of the Blue Howlite and Dyed Agate you’ll fall under this category.

Dyed crystals energy comparison to real crystals: 30%

Manufactured Crystals

These are typically artificial crystals from synthetic materials. Often produced from glass or plastic, they don’t even contain the tiniest bit of natural minerals. Besides, these are not crystal imitations and therefore have zero crystal energy at all. So, you should not expect any healing benefits from them. But you can use them for hands-on practice for crafts purposes and jewelry. 

Common Examples: If you see Opalite and Goldstone at a metaphysical store, know that they are manufactured stones.

Energy comparison to a natural crystal: 0-10%

Synthetic Crystals

These are the imitations of precious natural stones like Diamond, Ruby, or Opals. They are mainly formed from glass, chemicals, or compounds same as the real thing. Accordingly, they are chemically correct but lack the specific geometry of the healing crystals. If your main focus is just a pretty piece of jewelry, these lab-grown crystals are a great hit.

Common Examples: Rubies, Opals, or Diamond with price tags that are too good to be a red flag. 

Synthetic Crystal energy comparison with natural ones: 20-35%

Heat-treated

These are actually authentic crystals that are extensively heated to enhance their color and energies. So, allow me to rule out the misconception that they are fake crystals. Moreover, these wonderfully vibrant crystals are ideal choices for Reiki, crystal healing, and jewelry embellishments.

Common Examples: Most Citrine and almost all Tanzanite in the market have these color enhancements. 

Energy comparison to a natural crystal: 90%

Vapor deposition/ Aura Quartz

It’s also a type of enhancement that employs extreme heat. Like the name, it’s the deposition of another mineral on the crystal lattice of Quartz using heat and chemicals. The complex creates an energy aura that enhances the Quartz’s energy to higher frequencies.

Common Examples: All Angel aura, Aqua aura, Flame aura, Champagne aura, Rainbow aura, Silver or Gold aura

Energy comparison to the natural gem: 110%

Irradiated Crystals

These are also artificially enhanced to magnify their vibrant colors. Besides, irradiating doesn’t change the stone’s composition but enhances its color. So, the end product is the same crystal but with better color. Interestingly, most of the dazzling precious crystals that reach your hands have a certain amount of irradiation.

Common Examples: Costly gems like Sapphire, Tanzanite, and Topaz. 

Energy comparison to a natural crystal: 90%

Reconstituted Crystals

You may be surprised to know that tiny bits of different natural stones are finely grounded and fused to make a new crystal called Reconstitution. These are gems with softer energies and are more affordable on the plus side. Besides, they are ideal crystals for beginners to incorporate healing vibes in their daily life.

Common Examples: Clear Quartz Spheres, Crystal singing bowls, and Orgonite.

Energy comparison to a natural crystal: 40%

Tumbled Stones

These are 100% authentic crystals that are cut into smaller pieces, smoothed, and polished. A genuine crystal dealing brand has a myriad of these stones. Moreover, these real crystals are lovely to work with their energies. More importantly, not even a small quantity of energy is lost during tumbling. Hence, from physical healing to emotional stability and much more, the sky’s the limit as far as the benefits reach.

Common Examples:  Stones like Turquoise, Amethyst, Rose Quartz and others fall in this category. 

Energy comparison to a natural crystal: 100%

Are you still thinking about how to tell if a crystal is real or fake? Take an expert’s advice; if it’s too perfect to seem natural, maybe you should be a bit more careful. So let’s dive in to learn more about the Real Vs. Fake crystals!

Expert Tips to Spot Fake Stones from the Real Crystals?

Let’s discuss some expert tips that will come in handy while you make your future crystal purchases. Know that you are dealing with fake crystals if they have:

Strange Names

There are greater chances that gemstones with bizarre names like Strawberry Quartz, Melon moonstone, or Aqua aura are mostly fake. The crankier the name, the more likely it’s a homegrown crystal. The creative flair behind these names may appeal to you but never settle for the ones with an off-the-chart title. Mostly these fake crystals are dyed Quartz or glass. So, play safe and steer your way clear of crystals with strange names. 

Saturated colors

Another essential tip for “how to tell if a crystal is real” is to check the saturation of colors. A vivid pop of color looks absolutely stunning, but the possibility is it could be a dyed crystal. For instance, natural Citrine has a gorgeous light lemon color, but you may want to reconsider that bright sunshine Citrine.

Real crystals gleam with gentle colors and soft hues. Needless to say, there are exceptions like the fiery Carnelian pop and bold Tourmaline shades. So to avoid the situation, your main focus should be on where to buy crystals.

Perfect symmetrical patterns

Another key point to solve this “Real Vs. Fake crystals riddle” is to have a keen look at the crystal’s symmetry. I prefer “Imperfectly perfect jewel of the Earth” as the true definition of real crystals. So, if you come across a gemstone with the perfect symmetry, shape, and hue, it’s time to reconsider. So, if you ask me, “how to tell if a crystal is real?” I would suggest it has intricate patterns, soft glow, fractures, and, most importantly, energy vibes.

Glassy look and feel

Chances are you may be meditating with colored glass, thinking of it as your healing gem, and won’t even know. So again, “where to buy crystals” helps. If you have little knowledge about crystals, I recommend shopping from a retailer that means business. Besides, real crystals, even if it is Clear Quartz, are not truly seamless. Knowing about inclusions, blots, and patterns of your desired stone can raise your crystal game. Moreover, real crystals weigh more than glass and consider it another major clue.  

Air bubbles

Another betraying mark about how to tell if a crystal is real or fake is the presence of air bubbles. Gemstones do contain imperfections, but they won’t resemble air bubbles for sure. Know that there is an obvious difference between the marbles you used to play with as a child and real crystals. Again, where to buy crystals possibly solves this problem.

Moh’s hardness scale

Don’t forget to consider Moh’s hardness scale to spot the fake crystals from the real deal. So, let me make this concept easy for you. Everything you can hold fits into the Moh’s scale, considering powder being a one and diamond being a 10. Similarly, Quartz sits at 7 while glass fits in 5. So, anything that has an upper position on the scale can scratch ones with lower scores. Obviously, you won’t perform this test on jewelry or tumbled stones, but you can always perform this Scratch Test on raw crystals.  

The Main Fake Culprits to Look Out!

To that point, you might have a general idea of the crystals passed off as fakes. But some crystals are easier to swap than others. So, a little more knowledge can help you get right down to the business with a mere look. So, let’s get straight to the main fake culprits:

Quartz

Quartz is the easiest target to faking especially Clear Quartz that has a glassy look and feel. Don’t forget to double-check for any tiny air bubble when buying Quartz. Besides, another great tip to tell if your Clear or Rose Quartz is real is to look for blemishes or misty spots. No member of the Quartz family is clear but has a certain level of imperfections. So again, the best thing to do is be a bit more careful about where to buy crystals.

Amethyst

Amethyst is a Serene gemstone that has gained great popularity due to its magical healing benefits and uses in meditation. But it’s also a common crystal that falls under the spell of fakery. So, a quick tip is to check the color zoning in natural Amethyst. Real Amethyst has different hues of brilliant purple ranging from vivid to mauve or even white rather than a uniform dark purple. Besides, it falls at a 7 on Moh’s hardness scale. So, you can check the authenticity of Amethyst by using any of the above-described techniques.

Turquoise

The fact will blow you out that about 90% of the Turquoise jewelry in the market is actually dyed Howlite. Though Howlite has its healing magics, faking it for Turquoise is dishonesty with the business. A natural turquoise crystal has different hues around the contours, and apparently, the color is a beautiful blend of blues.

Moreover, you can always check the ingenuity of a turquoise gem by performing the scratch test, hot needle test, or simply acetone test. So, the best thing is to make sure where to buy crystals. Always shop from reputable brands in crystal dealing.

Citrine

You might be shocked to know that the Citrine you have long been using might be burnt Amethyst. Yes, you have heard me right. Citrine is quite expensive and hard to source gemstone.

Besides, most of the Citrine in the market is actually Amethyst that is burnt and baked in a Kiln which changes its color. So, the natural Citrine is not bright sunshine yellow but a mix of honey, lemon, or even white wine shade. Moreover, Citrine doesn’t have shark-teeth-like points; instead, it’s the characteristic of an Amethyst cluster.

So, next time you plan to shop for a gemstone, make sure you have your homework done. Don’t let those fake businesses fool you with your hard-earned money and mess with your spiritual journey. 

Where to Buy Crystals? The Shopping Must-haves!

To that point, you might be well aware of how to tell if a crystal is real or fake. However, the best possible way to skip out on fake crystals is to check your retailer information. So, the most important question arises, “where to buy crystals that are original?” I always suggest going with a brand name that takes pride in its services and reputation.

Shop from the retailers that mention crystal knowledge and are ready to provide a certificate on request. Besides, do check their website to see if the gemstones are ethically sourced and more about their suppliers.

Make sure you are careful when buying a crystal on a large marketplace such as Amazon, eBay, etc.  The irresistible prices on these platforms may fascinate you, but you may also not want to compromise on quality. Finally, knowing the market value of the real crystals may help a lot. When you find a deal too good to be true, make sure you have your homework done before jumping in it.

Finally, knowing the market value of the real crystals may help a lot. When you find a deal too good to be true, make sure you have your homework done before jumping in it.