Does indirect sunlight (indoors through window) damage crystals faster than we think?

[Bubbles]

Hello. I have my desk office right in front of a wall glass. Lots of bright light coming from outside. There I have my optic calcite sphere, it is of a high quality in terms of grade and looks.

There is never direct sun light, but there is plenty of day light that comes through.

I am not sure if I got used to it but feels like it sort of got a little big of fog as if I would have breath hot air over it. But is not that bad, in fact I think it might be just my impression.

I am actually unsure, might have been always like this. Hmm... Perhaps humidity in the air sometimes might also affect this sometimes, even though most of the times it is rather dry indoors as is winter.

[Sylmar]

It's best to keep some crystals out of strong sunlight (also behind glass) as they may lose color. Among those are Amethyst, Rose Quartz and Larimar but probably more. I don't think temperatures and humidity are much of an issue.

[Bubbles]

Hmm.. so sunlight as daylight is still not good just as if it were direct sunlight. I guess I can't be using my optical calcites on my desk anymore. Egh...

[FairyCrystal]

I have one honey calcite sphere, which is also optical, that I'm certain of was more intense in colour when I bought it. It is now really very pale yellow and wasn't that way at first.
It has, however, never been in direct sunlight, nor very bright light like behind glass. Just normal daylight.
I doubt it has anything to do with that. Crystals sometimes change, simple as that. Some get lighter, others seem to open up more and become 'brighter' and get more luster, some get rainbows, etc.
Crystals aren't in a status quo so to speak, they grow & change.
I think what affects them mostly is energy, both positive and negative, dense energy.

Sunlight doesn't affect crystals that fast either. I've had amethyst pieces in direct sunlight in my window in the south for some 2 years. No difference whatsoever. Not the slightest indication of fading.
Maybe if you have them there for 10 years or live in a area where the sunrays are more damages like close to the equator.

Don't worry too much about it. Unless it's direct full sunlight. I would be hesitant about my (optical) calcites in direct sunlight, but not normal daylight.

[FairyCrystal]

Originally Posted by Sylmar

It's best to keep some crystals out of strong sunlight (also behind glass) as they may lose color. Among those are Amethyst, Rose Quartz and Larimar but probably more. I don't think temperatures and humidity are much of an issue.

It is said so, but I've yet to have that happen. Had amethyst in the window to the south, hours of direct sunlight during summer, for some 2 years. No change in colour.
I now have amethyst & rose quartz in the other window, also catching quite a lot of sun per day, no change. They've been there for 3-4 years now.

It's quite the fear-mongering to say they change colour in the sun. It doesn't happen that fast. At least not with quartz. And I think the jasper/agate/chalcedony group is quite safe too, although dark colours would get very hot in sunlight which might not be great.

I think others like calcites can be more vulnerable but not certain. Maybe fluorites too. Intuition would stop me from putting fluorite in direct sunlight. I'm almost certain that would fade.

Larimar, never heard of that to be honest.
I do think humidity and temp can have an affect, but again very likely not on quartz, jasper/agate/chalcedony, unless it's really extreme.
More the vulnerable (softer) varieties like calcite, probably opals too, and of course selenite, halite (salt stone).

[Sylmar]

Originally Posted by FairyCrystal

It is said so, but I've yet to have that happen. Had amethyst in the window to the south, hours of direct sunlight during summer, for some 2 years. No change in colour.
I now have amethyst & rose quartz in the other window, also catching quite a lot of sun per day, no change. They've been there for 3-4 years now.

It's quite the fear-mongering to say they change colour in the sun. It doesn't happen that fast. At least not with quartz. And I think the jasper/agate/chalcedony group is quite safe too, although dark colours would get very hot in sunlight which might not be great.

I think others like calcites can be more vulnerable but not certain. Maybe fluorites too. Intuition would stop me from putting fluorite in direct sunlight. I'm almost certain that would fade.

Larimar, never heard of that to be honest.
I do think humidity and temp can have an affect, but again very likely not on quartz, jasper/agate/chalcedony, unless it's really extreme.
More the vulnerable (softer) varieties like calcite, probably opals too, and of course selenite, halite (salt stone).

It's not 'fearmongering' but something I have experienced myself. Also with Kunzite unfortunately. It was a beautiful pink specimen but quickly faded with leaving it in the light. My Amethyst faded as well.
It's also common knowledge that Amethyst and Rose Quartz particularly can easily fade in strong light.

That said, some pieces appear to be more vulnerable than others but the contents of crystals also varies. Even within the same kind of mineral. That can be a factor too. Question is, do you want to take the gamble or play it safe. Some people don't mind their crystals getting paler at all.

[FairyCrystal]

Originally Posted by Sylmar

It's not 'fearmongering' but something I have experienced myself. Also with Kunzite unfortunately. It was a beautiful pink specimen but quickly faded with leaving it in the light. My Amethyst faded as well.
It's also common knowledge that Amethyst and Rose Quartz particularly can easily fade in strong light.

That said, some pieces appear to be more vulnerable than others but the contents of crystals also varies. Even within the same kind of mineral. That can be a factor too. Question is, do you want to take the gamble or play it safe. Some people don't mind their crystals getting paler at all.

I didn't mean to say you were the fear-mongerer, just the spreading in general of that view. It's the same with the saying that things like selenite dissolve when they get wet. Also not true. You shouldn't leave it in water, but you can rinse it off without a problem. Yet people keep spreading the word it dissolves, giving the sense it falls apart right away which it doesn't.

I can see how kunzite indeed would fade. I think it's one of the more vulnerable ones in this sense. I wouldn't put that in the sun either.
As for quartz varieties... as I said, I've never had it happen, not even after a few years in full sun and/or very bright daylight.
I even have a yellowish quartz, no idea what it is, not citrine. And it annoyed me it's got that yellow so I deliberately put in the sun 10 yrs ago, shortly after I moved in here.
It still hasn't faded, so I've accepted it's just a yellowish quartz and will stay that way.

When I am not certain I don't put it in the window with full sunlight. But quartzes I have no problem with.
And also not really dark ones. Not because they'd fade but because they get so incredibly hot.

[Mahdi El-Mirak]

A crystal should never be exposed unless you are using it.

don't think temperatures and humidity are much of an issue.