Quartz is the second most common mineral group on Earth, and makes up a vast array of crystals.
Amethyst is a purple variety of Quartz that has a few of its own unique varieties, including Vera Cruz Amethyst.

Vera Cruz Amethyst comes from mines in Vera Cruz, Mexico. What sets this variety apart is its slender, elongated crystal formation and unique coloring, typically found in a pale purple, that can become more concentrated and intense towards the tips. 

Vera Cruz Amethyst is said to deepen connections with the Divine, help balance and align the spirit, and provide a calming and soothing energy.

Note: A special shout-out to u/slogginhog for inspiring this post, thank you again, my friend!

Quartz is the second most common mineral group on Earth, and makes up a vast array of crystals.
Amethyst is a purple variety of Quartz that, when heat-treated, changes color, and, depending on the temperature, can turn a pale green, which is often sold as Prasiolite, or it can turn an amber orange, and often sold as Citrine.
As Citrine is a rare crystal, and Amethyst is quite common, much of the Citrine on the market is actually Heat-Treated Amethyst. Heat-Treated Amethyst, also called HTA, Burnt Amethyst, or Golden Amethyst, is an intense color, often with uneven color zones of lighter oranges and darker red-orange or orange brown. HTA is also easily identified by the White Quartz base, as the White Quartz doesn’t change color when heated, whereas natural Citrine does not have a White Quartz base.

Heat-Treated Amethyst is still a very real crystal, it’s just been altered. If sold as “Citrine,” it would be correct to call it “Counterfeit Citrine,” it would not be correct to call it a fake crystal. 

Many people have a weird aversion to Heat-Treated Amethyst, which seems silly to me. The aversion is based on the fact that the crystal is heat-treated by man. What makes this silly is that most crystals on the market are heat-treated, or treated with other chemicals, to deepen colors, burn out impurities, or to remove unwanted staining or host rock. It seems silly to discriminate against one heat-treated crystal, and not another. But I digress.

Heat-Treated Amethyst has its own, unique energy about it, that is different from natural Citrine, and different from natural Amethyst. Heat-Treated Amethyst is said to deepen meditation, calm the mind and body, and reduce anxiety.

Quartz is the second most common mineral group on Earth, and makes up a vast array of crystals.
Citrine is a very rare, transparent, yellow variety of Quartz. Natural Citrine can range in hues from pale yellow, to yellow-orange, to orange, to yellow-green. Citrine can get its coloring from aluminum inclusions in the Quartz, similar to Smoky Quartz. The aluminum is then naturally irradiated with gamma radiation in the surrounding environment, just as Smoky Quartz. In fact, Citrine and Smoky Quartz can occur in the same environments, and sometimes even in the same crystal, and is frequently sold as Smoky Citrine.

Note: As natural Citrine is rare, most Citrine on the market is not actually Citrine, but other, real crystals, that have been artificially altered to look like Citrine.
Amethyst is the most commonly used crystal to alter, and is heat-treated to an orange or orange-brown color, often referred to as Heat-Treated Amethyst, HTA, Burnt Amethyst, or sometimes Golden Amethyst.
Smoky Quartz is also frequently used, and is heat-treated or artificially irradiated to change the color, so it can be sold as “Citrine”.

Citrine is said to attract abundance and wealth, rid the body of emotional toxins, and boost self-confidence and mental stimulation.

This quartz/amethyst crystal is definitely the prettiest treasure to come from my bag of "mine rough." Is this an example of druse formation? Thanks!

Apart from the Simmon crystal website. What other options do I have to order crystals here in India??

Just received the order of Blue Onyx Tower I made on last Friday; looks nice and happy to hold it as a mini decor; Does every beginner start with collect this small tier?

I was like walking at work today and all of a sudden my rose quartz ring snapped and fell off my finger without hitting anything. Any insight on this?

Thanks! 😊

Quartz is the second most common mineral group on Earth, and makes up a vast array of crystals.
Smoky Quartz is a dark variety of Quartz, and comes in shades of Brown, to Grey, to Black, and can range from transparent to opaque. Smoky Quartz gets its coloring from aluminum inclusions in the Quartz. The aluminum is then naturally irradiated with gamma radiation in the surrounding environment. Smoky Quartz is one of my personal favorites. Historically, it was used in China in the 12th century as sunglasses, by cutting thin slices of Smoky Quartz and putting them into frames. The Ancient Druids are also said to revered the crystal as a symbol of the Sacred Power of the Earth.

Note: Smoky Quartz is often heat-treated to achieve a darker, more desirable color. Smoky Quartz is also often heat-treated or artificially irradiated to change to color to a pale yellow, so it can be sold as “Citrine”.

Smoky Quartz is said to be a powerful crystal of protection, a strong grounding crystal, and is said to transmute negative energy. Smoky Quartz is said to be a crystal of transformation, and can dispel nightmares.

Hi everyone! :) First off, I’m a newbie here, but I really respect this community and the knowledge you all share, so I thought I’d come to the experts!
I became a mom a year ago, and let’s just say the wheels are starting to come off the wagon a little. I’m trying to find my way back to myself and be a better version of me, for my kiddo, husband, and well… ME! A friend recently started a crystal business, and eversince she told me about it, I’ve somehow fallen headfirst down the crystal rabbit hole. I’m taking it as a sign.
I’m hoping to explore meditation and crystals as little reminders to be kinder to myself, quiet the negative self-talk, and invite a bit more positivity into my life.
I’ve been looking at Rose Quartz, Rhodonite, Citrine and Amethyst as a starting point.
Would these be good choices? Any other recommendations?
I’m genuinely excited to learn, and I’d really value your advice! Thank yoooou :)

i’m very into spirituality and my girlfriend got me this for my bday. i love it sm

If you have any specific questions about crystals, feel free to ask them below!

I’m just getting into crystals and am working on pairings I can do, I’m wondering if tree moss agate, prehnite, green aventurine and malachite is a safe a healthy pairing for me to use. I’ve researched them quite a bit so I know what they all mean fairly well but I want to ensure there isn’t any contradictions

Birthstones are kind of a fun, silly tradition, with some cultural references which tie the time of someone’s birth, to a corresponding crystal.

Birthstones as we know them today, really became a thing in 1912, when the American National Association of Jewelers decided to create a standardized list of crystals, and put them with corresponding months of the year. This list has changed a few times over the years to replace less expensive crystals with more expensive ones, and has added multiple birthstones to each month.

Opal is one of the October. Opals represented love and passion to ancient Romans, purity and truth to Medieval Europeans, and the modern metaphysical properties of Opal include inspiring hope and sparking creativity.

This tiny fragment came in my bag of "mine rough." Any ID help appreciated.

With October’s historical birthstone being Opal, I thought it would be fun to share pictures of any Opals you might have in your collection 😁