Common Crystal Misconceptions
I've been collecting crystals for a little over two years. During that time, I've come across a fair share of crystals that look similar to others. While every piece is unique, it's common for colors, shapes, and textures to become somewhat uniform during the process of tumbling. Does that mean that two crystals are the same kind based on appearance? No!
My experience is geared towards tumbles, so that's what we'll be focusing on today. I am by no means an expert, but these are some observations I've made. Here are some crystals that look very similar in tumbled form.
Amethysts and Lepiodlite.
Amethysts are some of the most common crystals you can find on the market. They're distinctive due to their purple color. A crystal that also matches this description is Lepidolite. I want to make it very clear you cannot put Lepidolite in water. In my experience, amethysts will vary in tone when tumbled, while Lepidolite will be lighter. Since it's one of the most common crystals out there, your average amethyst will also be cheaper. Lepidolite can be found in Brazil, the Western United States, and China.
Sodalite and Lapis Lazuli.
A lot of the time, I see these two mixed up on social media. Many people think they are interchangeable. If you're worried about which crystal you have, check for gold-looking flakes. When you hold Lapis Lazuli up to a light, it shimmers lightly. In my experience, Lapis Lazuli is often darker.
Red Jasper and Carnelian.
These two crystals have risen in popularity, meaning that different iterations are on the market. Typically I've noticed Carnelian will be a little more transparent than Red Jasper. Carnelian is also more of an orange color.
Moldavite and literally anything else.
I'm sure you're tired of hearing about the haunted space glass, but we need to talk about all the fake moldavite out there. Only found in the Czech Republic, moldavite was formed when a meteorite struck the earth 15 million years ago. The mining of it was banned for quite some time.
A lot of the time, sea glass is used as a dupe for this tektite. The price should clue you in on its legitness, but there are some more tips out there. This crystal never is glossy, completely transparent, or any other color but olive green. More pointers are given by @greenwitchwrapping on TikTok, and I highly recommend you check out their videos on the matter.
Orthoclause and Dalmation Jasper.
When tumbled, Orthoclause can be covered in a splatter of dots, just like Dalmation Jasper. For the longest time, I thought my own Orthoclause piece was a different stone. The main giveaway was the color. Orthoclase will have an orange, almost terracotta color to them. Dalmation Jaspers frequent the market way more than their counterparts, making them more readily available to consumers.
Carribean Calcite and Blue Aragonite
These are both beautiful and very similar crystals. They almost look like the surface of tropical oceans. These two might be the closest on the list, in all honesty. I notice that with Blue Aragonite, the stripes can be much closer together, and the blue is more saturated. There's also a light gradient of darker teal to sky blue on the stone. Caribbean Calcite tends to have one consistent light blue. The white stripes are more irregular and spaced out. Caribbean Calcite is found in Pakistan, while Blue Aragonite is less common is was discovered in Spain.
There are some of my tips on how I differentiate between some crystals in my collection. Of course, each specimen is different, but hopefully, the commonalities between each type are distinctive enough to help you sort through them.