Buying from India

[FairyCrystal]

Well... China has the bad rap, and I have indeed have some instances of being sent treated crystals, but I now add India to the list.
The other day I bought a handbag from India, got sent a similar one, but not the same as was offered and that I'd bought.
He started preaching about people dying, the pandemic, blabla. May be so, but if you don't have what you offer then don't sell.

Now a pendant... It arrived today after 3-4 weeks, and it just doesn't look shiny and new. Plus... it has glue all over the back???
So I PMed the seller and his excuse was that they glue cabuchons on paper to protect them.
What load of **** that is... It's a pendant and I want to wear those on my skin, now it's a glue covered pendant. Not happy!
I think it has been in a metal/silver setting, removed, and sold as if new. The glue looks ancient to be honest.

In the end I got my money back.

But as it stands, I won't soon buy from India again!

[Lynn]

Hello

You can have a bad experience from anywhere in the World. Even as some of the top rated shops there can be things that do not add up to what they should be. Heat treated Citrine is a good example the amount of times I have seen he purple at the very bottom edges of the stone. Yet its sold as "real" you question it and they bite your head off.

I like to handle what I purchase yet I have done some on line orders as lock downs has limited travel and sources at times. So far so good with what I have received. Too I always make sure I use a payment method I can get my money back from without too many issues.

I have to laugh at the images of some of the stones shown you can tell they are "museum grade" and you are not going to receive that stone.

Lynn

[Native spirit]

Yes i would have to agree with that, i like to handle what i buy and feel the energy of the stone.
some are so fake that i have seen you can tell they are not real



Namaste

[BigJohn]

Seeing and feeling something means so much.

2 days ago I went to look at a vehicle. The dealer told me he would let me 'see it' only if I was prepared to buy it. Needless to say, all I got to see was the vehicle from a distance.

I checked on-line with the manufacturer, and some of the stuff he told me about the vehicle, was 100% wrong. He made up each of the special features he claimed the vehicle had!

[FairyCrystal]

I actually buy almost all my stuff online :)
When it concerns something very expensive, like a car, I do want to see it. And of course take it for a test drive etc. etc.

I've bought quite a lot of crystals online too over the years, but I'm usually careful with the source, the shop/seller of whom I buy. Plus, when buying on for instance Ebay, you pay with PayPal so you can always get your money back. If not from the seller, Ebay & PayPal will intervene and if need be refund you.
I've never had it come that far. Sellers on such sites do not want the negative feedback and usually refund the whole amount -incl. shipment- to avoid that when there's an issue.

The only bummer is you may get disappointed.

Apart from that I've also bought more expensive crystals and crystal skulls without seeing them. You don't need to see them, you can feel the energy from the photo. In most cases that is enough for me, but of course it's a lot of fun to visit a crystal shop :)
But my most expensive pieces were bought online, without seeing them in the flesh. These came from people I know, so I wasn't concerned about the amount of money. And the crystals & skulls were exactly as I had felt they would be.
I have had the most beautiful amethyst skull -never seen any better looking and better quality, also bought it online from a few photos only. A friend who at the time sold crystal skulls that she bought directly from the master carvers in Brazil.
It was a Walmere amethyst skull, a stunning beauty!
I let her go to another guardian a few years ago, part of me regrets it although it was the right decision. But I know I won't come across that kind of amethyst skull ever again.
The same with a strawberry quartz skull by Wilson. That one I DO regret letting go off. Also bought that online, photos only, from someone in the crystal skull group I was in.

Come to think of it, I bought ALL crystals skulls I have and have had that way. Almost all are from the Brazilian master carvers.
You don't need to see them and touch them at all.

But I won't buy from India anytime soon just to not get disappointed again. It could be because the country is so upside down right now with the pandemic. But for now it's on my blacklist.

[BigJohn]

I use to buy gemstones on E-bay. After I bought a refractometer, I tested the gemstones and found out they were all fakes. Filed my complaints with E-bay and was clobbered by E-bay. The vendor claimed I was trying to 'steal' his gemstones. If they are fake, you don't have to send them back and you get your money back. E-bay bought the vendor's argument till I told E-bay I would sent them the gemstones to them and they can test them.

Another area of concern deals with quartz's points. I found a considerable amount of them that are K9 or K5 material. When they look unbelievably beautiful, I suspect K9 and/or K5. I find it surprising that most people are not aware of this. I have found it in 'Amethyst' and 'Quartz'.

[moonincancer]

Originally Posted by FairyCrystal

Well... China has the bad rap, and I have indeed have some instances of being sent treated crystals, but I now add India to the list.
The other day I bought a handbag from India, got sent a similar one, but not the same as was offered and that I'd bought.
He started preaching about people dying, the pandemic, blabla. May be so, but if you don't have what you offer then don't sell.

Now a pendant... It arrived today after 3-4 weeks, and it just doesn't look shiny and new. Plus... it has glue all over the back???
So I PMed the seller and his excuse was that they glue cabuchons on paper to protect them.
What load of **** that is... It's a pendant and I want to wear those on my skin, now it's a glue covered pendant. Not happy!
I think it has been in a metal/silver setting, removed, and sold as if new. The glue looks ancient to be honest.

In the end I got my money back.

But as it stands, I won't soon buy from India again!

Hey Fairycrystal
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I have bought from Desh Maheshwari, (Noida,Delhi NCR) and have found good pieces.
It also depends on which crystals you choose. India has good specimens of quartz of all kinds including amethyst and rose, lapis lazuli, aventurines, calcites , ruby, sapphires, emeralds ,citrine etc. I think it ultimately comes down to the site/supplier because it is indeed a mixed bag here.
Best

[stonecollector]

One time I bought two vogel wands from chinese and they were glass. Chipped like glass rather easily and can be ground off very easily. If you grind real quartz, it is much harder feel when grinding when I did a little experiment.

What type of quartz that were fakes either K5 or K9 glass or photos of these so I know when shopping there?

Cheers,

[BigJohn]

K5 and/or K9 glass generally weights 'more' and has the tell tale signs of being too beautiful.

I don't have any pictures, sorry.
By the way, most dealers don't know what you are talking about if you ask about K5 or K9.

[Altair]

The closer to home, the better. It makes it easier to shorten the gap of feedback and they feel more responsibility when things go wrong.

Not always possible with any specialized goods we buy. I don't know where my crystals all came from, and I only have a few, but I've had a sword made in India and it's okay. Had another one made in China and it's excellent. The difference in price reflects the quality so it is justified. Cheaper goods are often poorer, maybe also true for crystals?

It's always good to check reviews and have contact with the seller before buying. It also helps if they have media channels, it puts a bit of pressure on them to not sell poor quality.