What's the deal with manmade crystals?

[kerrybear]

I am very new to crystals - I was drawn to a lump of opalite I saw at a market when going through something very tough in the summer, and bought it without knowing anything about it. It has brought me huge amounts of comfort and is definitely my favourite crystal in my (very small) collection.

But I then found out it is manmade? Does this not mean it is a "lesser" crystal in all ways to natural crystals?

[CrystalSong]

Lab made one's will bear the essential qualities of nature formed one's - meaning similar frequency's - thus you can get what you need from one, as you did. :)

People who are very sensitive to crystal energies and can discern differences often find lab made one's not as sentient or powerful as natural 'born' ones'. This level of discerning though take a very keen perception - so I wouldn't worry about it - your baby is serving you well!!

[Lucky 1]

I'm pretty much of the view that regardless if it formed in nature....or in someone's garage.. a crystal is a crystal is a crystal.....

Others as mentioned might be able to discern a difference. ....but I can't.

[kerrybear]

That's good to hear from people who have more experience. I love my opalite so much I sleep with her in my hand... she grounds me and keeps me sane. I have just bought an opalite pendant to wear all the time and I am taking a trip to the Chalice Well in Glastonbury Monday to clean and charge them for the first time, and the other two crystals I have acquired. Really excited!

[FairyCrystal]

Things like opalite, goldstone, heat-treated citrine, fire & ice crystal (heat-treated clear crystal), aqua aura etc. I don't really consider 'man-made' but more transformed if that makes sense (maybe there's a better word for it).
It is still a naturally formed crystal that has been changed by some treatment.

What I do consider 'man-made' is orgonite. I really don't like that. Sure the stuff in there may have been made by nature (the crystals in it that is) but in the end it's a mix of energies that has been messed with, often by ppl who don't know what they're doing or use sort of obsolete methods. By which I mean Atlantean ways. Lots of metal and pins and stuff mixed in with a serious chemical substance and crystals. I always feel sorry for the crystals.
Ppl shape spirals that aren't even geometrically okay, they don't flow smoothly, proportions are off.
To each their own, but that I worry about, not opalite or otherwise heat-treated crystals.

[CrystalSong]

I disagree - well made orgone generators are amazing - like a castle for the crystal to really boost it's energy out put and natural properties.
There are however many makers of orgone devices who've not read Wilhelm Reich's work and did no serious research about the substrate they are using to hold the matrix in - these result in little more than pretty fobs. I suspect this is what you've experienced FairyCrystal.

(since we're onto ethics now) Most of the labmade stones which are treated - they are using noble gases and high temperatures to bake certain visual and light reflecting properties into the low quality (visually) stones to give them higher market appeal.
I doubt the rocks/crystals care for being gassed and super heated much.

[Lucky 1]

Originally Posted by CrystalSong

(since we're onto ethics now) Most of the labmade stones which are treated - they are using noble gases and high temperatures to bake certain visual and light reflecting properties into the low quality (visually) stones to give them higher market appeal.
I doubt the rocks/crystals care for being gassed and super heated much.

LOL!!!! All crystals natural or otherwise are formed under intense heat and pressure ...and yes ...some gases thrown in too!

Sorry...the chemist in me coming out...

[CrystalSong]

Originally Posted by Lucky 1

LOL!!!! All crystals natural or otherwise are formed under intense heat and pressure ...and yes ...some gases thrown in too!

Sorry...the chemist in me coming out...

It's cool, and true. :)
Of course as a chemist you know how Time Elapsed, weight and pressure will have a different resukt than what we can stimulate in a lab.
We humans like fast and easy, particularly in the West - but something's are like fine wine and take time to come into their finest state of being. We try really hard to improve on mother nature - but she has patience and time we just don't have.

I had a lovely cluster of lab made celeste blue quartz, I kept in in my sipping cup with other stones, within a couple years it fell into shards unlike the earth made crystals which seemed to have a more cohesive density and stronger bonds. The lab made one was more like those grown sugar crystals on a string - beautiful but delicate in the long run.

[Crystal canuck]

I have seen many beautiful man-made crystals, and I can respect that people adore them, but for me, I will only accept natural, untreated crystals. Part of my admiration for crystals is how they are real art from mother earth.

No matter how beautiful a crystal is, when I find out it's not natural, I place no value in the product. I know many people will disagree, but it's just how I feel about them. I'm sure my wife wouldn't like it if I bought her a lab-grown diamond, even if it had the same chemical compounds as a natural diamond.

I know I am not alone, many gem dealers in India state that treated or man-made crystals have no metaphysical benefits. For me however, it's not about the metaphysical properties, just the natural beauty. A lab grown/treated specimen might as well be a piece of glass.

[Bubbles]

Judy Hall recommended that goldstone can be used, at least in combination with citrine... for abundance and such. Goldstone it's a result of alchemy, they tried making gold, and they got goldstone.

I would personally prefer to experience the natural ones..there are so many. But I just don't know how longer I will resist to purchase a Titanium Aura Quartz :)