Help Crystal Identification — Post your Photo Here - See Part Two (3 Viewers)

[Karen]

Hello. I am new to the world of crystals and wondered if I might ask for some advice please.

I recently purchased two pieces from Ebay and I feel like they might be fake but wanted to get some experienced opinions before I took any action, incase I am wrong!

The first piece is a tigers eye tower. The corner arrived chipped off and to me it looks like a veneer of tigers eye has been but over some kind of brown chalky material. The bottom has no veneer and is just the Matt brown surface. Does tigers eye chip or flake to reveal an unpolished layer?

The second piece I am less sure about but it is from the same seller, which made me wary. When I opened it, it smelt strongly chemical (which could be the packing material) but I'm not sure about how the points (or lack of them) are formed. They seemed kind of blunt. Like I said, I am new to looking at crystals, so perhaps this is a legitimate crystal.

I would be very grateful for any advice or thoughts and appreciate anyone who can shed some light on these pieces for me.
Many thanks, Karen

 

[Linda]

Hi Karen, I understand the wariness of buying on line. I see you are in the UK, otherwise I would suggest buying from my local rock shop. There are others here who are more knowledgeable in identification and should be along to help, but I will say the second photo does look like a veneer. Have you tried an online search of rock shops in your country?

 

[Karen]

Hi Linda
Thank you for your comments. I definately will not be buying online in the same way again. Have some done some research for shops I might be able to travel to now!

I'm also eager to report a bogus Ebay seller as I wouldn't like other people to be disappointed in the same way.

Shame I cant make it to your shop

 

[Maryann]

Definitely be wary of online sellers, especially from China, but that doesn't mean there aren't good sellers from China as well. There's a link posted above to information about synthetic rocks being sold as legit natural ones. That flaking on the supposed tiger's eye looks very suspicious, as does the formation of the crystals on the other. I've not seen tiger's eye do that, but honest the patterning looks more like jasper than tiger's eye. But jasper shouldn't flake like that either.

 

[Lila]

Karen, I'm glad you've posted this and made it known as I believe that doing so helps us all.
Personally, it boggles my mind how much work it would take to try to fake stones such as these.
I like holding stones in my hand to get a 'feel' for them. This is both a pleasure and instructive. Having said that, I've bought rocks online and loved them!

 

[Maryann]

View attachment 8425what would you say the pink stone is? I am used to seeing rose quartz lighter pink in color. Can the intensity vary?
I suspect the orange stone is heat treated amethyst.

I just saw this on my Twitter feed and remembered this mysterious pink stone... do you think it might be something like this? Platy pink rhodonite:

 

[Anaeika]

I just saw this on my Twitter feed and remembered this mysterious pink stone... do you think it might be something like this? Platy pink rhodonite:

View attachment 8509

You know, it is possible. I just can’t say 100%. I tested it & it is a form of quartz. I also found this website that identifies different minerals from the red family:

Will You Recognize These 10 Red and Pink Minerals?

Do you know how to tell rose quartz from chalcedony? Learn the difference and how to identify other common red and pink rocks and minerals.

www.thoughtco.com

 

[Maryann]

Hm, not sure how you test for high manganese content... that's what wikipedia notes about it... rhodochrosite, though, not rhodonite, my bad. Here's a pic from there that's very similar to the one you're holding:

 

[Anaeika]

Hm, not sure how you test for high manganese content... that's what wikipedia notes about it... rhodochrosite, though, not rhodonite, my bad. Here's a pic from there that's very similar to the one you're holding:
View attachment 8514

Eureka!! I think you found it!
Thank you! Another mystery solved. Hehe

 

[Issy]

Hello, I'm back again!

A couple of weeks ago, I found and connected immediately with this beautiful crystal. The problem is, I cannot - for the life of me - figure out what it is! I think it's Vanadinite or Carnelian grown upon another lighter-coloured rock(?), but some clarification would be great. If there's any other crystals that it'd work well with, do let me know

 

[Maryann]

It appears to have the distinctive crystalline structure of vanadinite, so I’d lean more toward that. As it helps you with accomplishing what you set out to do, depending on what that is, you could pair it with all kinds of things to boost your intention, whether that’s development or healing or … ? Nice piece, looks like it does need a partner though. Self-sufficient on its own, but part of a puzzle for you to put together with another energy. Have fun!

 

[Dal4112]

Hello, wondering if someone can identify this rock. Cant pin point what it is. When i shine i light on it its actually translucent green. Pretty cool you would never be able to tell by the look.

 

[Laron]

Hello, wondering if someone can identify this rock. Cant pin point what it is. When i shine i light on it its actually translucent green. Pretty cool you would never be able to tell by the look.

It really helps us when you follow the instructions in the original post Dal!

It’s important to include a photo of the crystal in natural light, so outside is best. When inside you have shadows that cause color changes, but also what surrounds the crystal can influence the way it looks.

I tend to sometimes apply filters and increase the contrast and/or brightness of photos, but make sure you don’t for this purpose, so have an unedited photo, otherwise it makes it harder to identify.

It can also help to have a plain background behind the crystal with your photo. Also, if the crystal is a lighter color, use a darker background, and if it’s a darker colored crystal, use a lighter background.

 

[Dal4112]

Ok. Thats the only picture i have at the moment. Thanks for the info buddy!

 

[June]

Bought this for myself a while ago, it’s just junk jewellery but often wondered if the stone is natural or man made, its iridescent changing from blue to pink
Any ideas from the experts?

 

[Laron]

Any ideas from the experts?

That's likely an opal. I would have to see it from the other side and in natural light to be sure.

 

[June]

Thanks, Laron, I have now looked on line and found how good fake opals are. The price of this necklace was so ridiculously low if has to be fake, but that’s fine by me I bought it purely because I loved the look of it.

 

[Maryann]

Opalescence is in more than just opals

 

[Lila]

As they say, 'All that glitters is not gold' and 'glitter makes everything better'

 

[Rosebud98]

Hi guys im new here. Just ordered a mystery box and i have a few crystals that i cannot seem to identify. I have my suspicions on a few but just want to make sure.

 

[Rosebud98]

I will post another pic of the clear one by itself since its kinda hard to see

 

[Rosebud98]

Here they are by themselves.

 

[Linda]

Rosebud98 you have some interesting pieces there. We've got a couple of people who are good at identification, and they should be along in a few hours.

 

[Rosebud98]

Thank you for your reply Linda! I just got these today and am very excited to know what they are. Unfortunately i couldnt figure it out myself with my book about crystals or online. im thinking the light green is green aventurine and thats the only one i think i may have right. Let me know if i should add better pics, thanks guys.

 

[deon10]

Hello guys,

I bought this stone a few days ago, and was told it was a green aventurine.

However, when I look online, aventurine seems to be less transparent (this one is actually quite transparent in some places, more than the pictures show.) So i'm having doubts it's Aventurine.

From a quick google search, the color looked closer to me to Green Apophyllite.

But I don't know. Any help would be very appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[Linda]

Beautiful stone and looks similar to the one in the previous post.
Our two experts, Lila and Maryann should be along soon to see if they can you all sorted.

 

[Maryann]

the color looked closer to me to Green Apophyllite.

How does it feel when you hold it? Apophyllite has a powerful calming feel. It does look like it could be, from the linear look of the crystal.

 

[Maryann]

Here they are by themselves.

Top one looks like jasper (ocean jasper?) and the bottom one kinda looks like apatite, in which case it’s very nice! But not sure of the others. Not really sure of that apatite, just going by color and that the crystals are on the small side.

 

[deon10]

How does it feel when you hold it? Apophyllite has a powerful calming feel. It does look like it could be, from the linear look of the crystal.

To be honest i might not be as in tune with subtle feelings like that as I would like. If I had to choose, yes it feels like a light nice energy and not heavy, but it could be just me feeling that way after reading about it.

So would you say it doesn't look much like aventurine?

Thank you

 

[Lila]

I will post another pic of the clear one by itself since its kinda hard to seeView attachment 8966

I've seen rose quartz that looked like the pink portion of this. That would make the redder parts probably iron containing quartz (or fire quarts or other names I can't recall now).