Getting started with crystals doesn't have to drain your wallet. Many beautiful tumbled stones can be readily found for just a few dollars each. These lower-cost options allow you to begin working with crystal energy without breaking the bank.
Quartz
The king of crystals, abundant quartz in all its varieties provides potent energy at an affordable cost. Look for tumbled clear quartz, rose quartz, smokey quartz, citrine, and amethyst.
Jasper
These opaque, earthy-colored stones provide gentle grounding energy. Red jasper, yellow jasper, and the bold spotted patterns of leopardskin jasper are budget-friendly choices.
Agate
From elegant blues to earthy browns, no two agates look alike but all nourish stability. Consider blue lace agate, moss agate, dendritic agate or the traditional banded agate.
Obsidian
Usually between $1-3, this protective volcanic glass makes the perfect stone for crystal grids on a budget. Try snowflake, mahogany or rainbow obsidian.
Fluorite
While rarer clearest fluorites are pricey, you can easily obtain tumble-polished cubes of colorful fluorite for just a few dollars each.
With a little thriftiness and research, you can find all the crystals your practice desires - rose quartz for love, hematite for strength, amethyst for intuition - without going broke. Happy hunting!
Places to look for affordable and discounted crystals:
• Rock shops or gem shows - You can often negotiate bulk deals on tumbled stones. They buy direct from distributors.
• New age shops - Look for sales, bargains, and loyalty discounts. Sign up for member pricing.
• Thrift stores/antique shops - Sometimes have crystals and crystal jewelry mixed in for cheap.
• Dollar stores - Believe it or not you can find some basic stones like quartz, agate and jasper at dollar stores.
• Online discounted retailers - Sites like Etsy and eBay allow hunting for deals on lots, small pieces, and secondhand crystals.
• Hardware stores - Occasionally have rough quartz and amethyst geodes for landscaping that can be tumbled.
• Local mines - If you have mining attractions nearby, you can dig for and tumble your own stones.
• DIY tumbling - You can buy raw rocks cheap and tumble polishing them yourself with a rotary tumbler.
With some effort and luck, you can curate an amazing crystal collection on a budget through smart sourcing. And don’t forget: The quality of the energetic vibrations matters more than appearance.
Are fake crystals a thing?
Unfortunately, yes, there are such things as fake or artificially manufactured crystals. If you’re hunting for cheap crsytals, you should be aware of these types of fake crystals:
• Many cheap crystals sold in bulk online or at mall kiosks are fake, like cosmetic-grade quartz crystals.
• Common techniques like glassseeding take natural points and fuse them to fast-grown quartz made in labs to increase size and aesthetics.
• Completely synthetic crystals are grown in factories, like cubic zirconia, moissanite, and some simulated diamonds.
• Dipped or coated crystals have a thin artificial metallic or mineral vapor coating applied. This gives an unnatural sheen.
• Assembled crystals glue together separate natural pieces to create geodes and clusters that appear flawlessly whole.
• Dyed crystals get an artificial spray coloring or dip dye to deepen hues and hide flaws. Some irradiation creates rainbow hematite.
• Plastic crystals are simply cut glass or acrylic shaped and painted to imitate genuine crystals and geodes.
While still visually appealing, artificially made, altered or treated crystals lack the true energetic qualities of natural, authentic crystal formations.
How to check if a crystal is fake
Here are some ways to determine if a crystal is fake or artificially altered:
- Examine price - Natural crystals, especially rare varieties, are generally expensive. Beware very cheap stones.
- Check uniformity - Real crystals have natural flaws and variations. Perfectly matched color can be a red flag.
- Light test - Natural clarity reacts differently. Synthetic and coated stones look too perfect.
- Texture - Real crystals feel cooler and have a vitreous lustre. Fakes can feel warmer and slick.
- Look for bubbles - Natural inclusions like flecks are different from air bubbles seen in glass and plastic.
- Smell test - Plastic and resin stones have a chemical scent compared to earthy real crystals.
- Scratch test - Real crystals are generally softer (glass can scratch) but diamonds will scratch glass.
- Examine fracture - Uneven, jagged breaks happen naturally. Clean breaks are suspicious.
- Check certification - Reputable sellers provide independent lab testing and verification.
While it takes an experienced eye, signs like unnatural perfection, colors, textures and dubious pricing often betray inauthentic stones. Trust your intuition as well!
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