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Natural Crystals |
Fake Crystals (Glass, Plastics, Acrylic, etc.) |
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Temperature |
Typically cooler to the touch due to natural mineral properties. Exceptions |
Often warmer at room temperature, especially plastic and acrylic versions. |
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Transparency |
Contain imperfections like fractures, veils, clouds, or mineral inclusions (e.g., mica in aventurine, pyrite in lapis lazuli). |
Usually free of inclusions, typically uniform in appearance without flaws. |
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Inclusions |
Varies greatly, with some crystals having zoning or cloudiness. Clarity can range from fully transparent to opaque. |
Typically too perfect in terms of clarity, overly clear or uniformly smooth. |
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Weight |
Denser and therefore heavier, e.g., quartz and obsidian. |
Lighter in weight compared to natural stones. |
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Color |
Colors are often varied with natural zoning, fading, or mixing of different tones. |
Uniform and sometimes unnaturally bright. Dye marks or overly even coloring are indications of fakes. |
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Appearance |
Subtle imperfections like slight color zoning, uneven surfaces, and visible imperfections. |
Uniform appearance with no visible imperfections. Surfaces are overly smooth with perfect symmetry. |
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Hardness |
Specific hardness based on Mohs scale; high-hardness crystals should not easily scratch. |
May scratch easily if made of softer materials like plastic, resin, or glass. |
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Luster |
Subtle or varied luster; polished stones may have a waxy, vitreous, or silky appearance. |
Often too glossy or shiny. Glass-based fakes are highly reflective, plastic versions may have an artificial sheen. |
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Bubbles |
Generally not present. If present, they are extremely small and not perfectly round. |
Bubbles are a common giveaway for glass fakes; visible and evenly distributed. |
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Surface Texture |
May have slight ridges, graininess, or textural variation. Faceted stones may show small natural cracks. |
Uniformly smooth texture. Patterns are consistent and repetitive, lacking natural variability. |
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Veining & Patterns |
Often uneven and varies in thickness. |
Consistent and repetitive veining or patterns, lacking natural irregularities. |
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Sound |
Produces a resonant ‘clinking’ sound when tapped together due to hardness and density. |
Produces a dull or muted sound (plastic or resin) or a sharper sound compared to natural crystals (glass). |
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