One of the most common questions we get at Gift Palace India is: how do I know if my crystal is real? With so many crystals being sold online and in local markets across India, it's important to know how to spot a genuine healing crystal versus a fake, dyed, or synthetic stone.
As members of the Gems & Jewellery Export Council of India (GJEPC) since 1990, we've spent over 35 years sourcing and verifying genuine gemstones. Here's our comprehensive guide to identifying real crystals.
Why Fake Crystals Are So Common
The crystal market in India has exploded in recent years. Unfortunately, this has led to a flood of fake, dyed, heat-treated, or synthetic stones being sold as natural healing crystals. Common fakes include:
- Dyed howlite being sold as Turquoise
- Glass being sold as Clear Quartz
- Heat-treated Amethyst being sold as Citrine
- Synthetic lab-created stones being sold as natural
- Cheap dyed agate being sold as rare crystals
5 Simple Tests to Check If Your Crystal Is Real
1. The Temperature Test
Real crystals, especially Quartz family stones (Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz), will feel cool to the touch even in warm weather. Glass and plastic fakes warm up quickly in your hand. Hold the crystal for 30 seconds — if it stays cool, it's likely genuine.
2. The Hardness Test
Most genuine crystals are harder than glass. A real Quartz crystal can scratch glass, but glass cannot scratch Quartz. Try gently scratching a hidden surface of the crystal with a piece of glass — if it leaves a mark on the glass, it's genuine Quartz or harder.
3. Look for Natural Inclusions
Real crystals almost always have natural inclusions, tiny imperfections, colour variations, or cloudy patches. Perfectly flawless, bubble-free stones that look absolutely perfect are often glass or synthetic. Natural imperfections are a sign of authenticity.
4. The Bubble Test for Glass Fakes
Hold the crystal up to light and look closely for tiny air bubbles. Air bubbles are a telltale sign of glass. Real crystals do not have air bubbles — they may have inclusions or fractures but never perfectly round bubbles.
5. Check the Colour Uniformity
Dyed crystals often have colour concentrated in cracks or at the surface, with the colour fading toward the center. Natural crystals have colour that is consistent throughout or fades gradually in a natural way. For Amethyst, look for natural colour zoning — real Amethyst often has lighter and darker zones.
How to Spot Specific Fakes
Fake Amethyst
Real Amethyst has natural colour zoning — you'll see lighter and darker purple areas. Fake Amethyst (often dyed quartz or glass) has uniform, overly vivid purple with no variation. Real Amethyst also tends to be cooler to the touch.
Fake Citrine
Most "Citrine" sold in India is actually heat-treated Amethyst, which turns orange-yellow when heated. Natural Citrine is pale yellow to golden, never bright orange. If your Citrine is deep burnt orange, it's likely heat-treated Amethyst — which still has some properties but is not natural Citrine.
Fake Rose Quartz
Real Rose Quartz has a soft, milky pink colour with natural inclusions. Fake Rose Quartz (dyed quartz or glass) tends to have an unnaturally vivid, uniform pink. Real Rose Quartz is also quite common, so if someone is selling it at an extremely high price claiming it's rare — be suspicious.
Fake Black Tourmaline
Real Black Tourmaline has natural striations (vertical lines) running along its length. It's also quite heavy for its size. Fake Black Tourmaline is often just black dyed glass or plastic, which has no striations and feels lighter.
Why Buy From a Trusted Source
The safest way to ensure you're getting genuine crystals is to buy from a trusted, established source with a verifiable track record.
At Gift Palace India, we have been in the gems and jewellery business since 1989 — over 35 years. We are proud members of the Gems & Jewellery Export Council of India (GJEPC) and source all our crystals directly from verified suppliers globally. You can also visit our physical showrooms in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi to see and feel our crystals before purchasing.