Confused About These Common Crystals? Don't Be!

Common Crystal Mix-Ups

There are SO MANY crystals out there - and "new finds" being uncovered all of the time. It can be hard to pick up on some of the subtleties between crystals, and the names, and...you just want to enjoy your crystals and be done with all the rest!

Don't worry: I've got you! I'm here today to talk about three common crystal mix -ups I see - and how NOT to make them.

Check them out below - and let me know which one(s) YOU hear the most!

Lumerian vs Lemurian

Would you be surprised if I told you that there is no such thing as Lumerian quartz? 

Wait, what?? People talk about them all the time, though...

Lumerian is a very common - but incorrect - spelling for the much-loved Lemurian quartz, sourced from Brazil and (recently) Colombia.

In fact, it's such an easy mistake that there are only two letters off: the "e" and "u" are in the wrong places :)

Lemurian quartz is named such because it is said to come from the ancient lost civilization of Lemuria - hence, Lemurian quartz. You can see how the name Lumeria is similar (hence, the confusion) - but an incorrect interpretation of this pretty variety of quartz.

Lemurian Quartz: 

So just remember: Lemurian quartz from ancient Lemuria. Lumerian is just a common name error.

Blue Calcite vs Celestite 

I am SO PASSIONATE about this mix up! It's one of my top peeves in the crystal world. Why? A few reasons: 

1. It's SO COMMON - and shouldn't be!
2. It's a BIG DEAL! Celestite is a much more pricey crystal than blue calcite. If you find a great price on "blue celestite" - honestly, it's probably blue calcite. And while I don't get too bent out of shape about crystal fakes (they're honestly a lot less common than you might think): this is a crystal mix-up you don't need to make. 
3. It's actually pretty easy to tell the difference! So there's no need to make this mistake. And I'll show you how to tell them apart, so you don't have to, ever again.

Want to know how to tell them apart? 

Check out this blog post, where I tell you exactly how to tell the difference between blue calcite and celestite.  

Moonstone vs Opalite 

Thisss is another one that drives me bananas. 

First, let's state the most obvious thing: moonstone is natural. Opalite is manmade glass (or acrylic). Period. End of story. Fin.

I am not sure why some sellers (often wholesalers or international sellers) are so intent on calling opalite "moonstone" (I've noticed they don't really try to call it "opal" anymore...) - but it happens quite a bit. 

And here's the kicker: Opalite is actually just fine! Lots of people like it. **I** like it (it can be quite pretty) and it definitely has its own place. The problem, in my opinion, comes with misrepresenting it as moonstone. 

So, if something looks like opalite - it's opalite. Opalite and moonstone are actually very distinct: so it's pretty easy to tell them apart!

Opalite: 

See how they reeeaalllyyy don't look that similar? And that's great! Because it doesn't have to be confusing, whether it's moonstone* or opalite. 

*This comparison only shows one kind of moonstone: a high-quality kind with blue flash, that is often used in jewelry and what I have seen as the kind most often substituted by opalite. There are many kinds of moonstone: rainbow moonstone (opaque white, with black tourmaline inclusions and occasionally colorful flash); peach, white, and grey moonstone (shimmery); and other kinds of textures and flashes. Opalite still doesn't look like any of these - but I want to be clear that the moonstone I am showing above, is nowhere near the only type of real moonstone available on the market.

p.s. The bracelet in the image above features opalite. Could you tell? 

What crystal mix-ups have you seen? 

I'd love to hear them! Email me at kristen AT mooncatcrystals DOT com and I'll try to address some in a future blog post!