How to Recognize Natural Clear Quartz and Glass

How to Recognize Natural Clear Quartz and Glass

Specific Gravity: In case a piece is too light, it is a knockoff. This can be used to eliminate glass, plastic or acrylic imitations. Nevertheless, currently, there are numerous cultivated or laboratory-produced crystals on the market and their weight can be practically the same as that of the natural quartz and then it becomes hard to determine by the touch. Leaded glass is normally used to manufacture some specially weighted fakes (even heavier than quartz).

Look at the Crystal Structure: Fissures within a rock are a certain indication that it is glass (fused quartz). Growth lines are the signs of crystals cultivated in the lab. Fibers like cotton, or natural fissures are also included in a typical sign of a true natural quartz.

Test the Color: Stones are made to appear like natural stones by artificially coloring the modern fused quartz and synthetic crystals. In order to notice authenticity, look at the light-play of the color. Real amethyst frequently appears in two colors when it is in the morning or evening light.

Price: Fused quartz is cheapest, then the synthetic crystals and the most valuable is the natural quartz. High-quality common amethyst may sell at 8 RMB/gram and the highest quality may sell at 40-60 RMB/gram.

Touch and Feel: Natural and artificial quartz are cool to the touch. Fused quartz or glass can be more of a distance to the normal glass.

Inclusions: Quartz, which contains internal inclusions, e.g. rutiles, phantom, or natural features, is practically never artificial. Such inclusions cost money and are hard to imitate and counterfeits can be caught quite often.

Temperature Test: When you put some quartz in your tongue it is cool but glass is warmer.

Hardness: Quartz has a rating of 7 on the Mohs scale and the glass is approximately 5.5. The test can be done by attempting to scratch glass with a fresh edge of a natural quartz crystal.

Internal Features: Natural quartz usually has cotton-like inclusions or ice cracks. Growth lines can be observed in synthetic crystals, whereas bubbles can be found in glass.

Color Change: Natural quartz is usually changing in color; the color change is never found on a single piece. As an illustration, natural citrine is extremely uncommon and appears to have uneven coloration in water--the color of the crystal does not radiate evenly in the crystal. Crystals that are grown in labs or cultivated are typically homogenous.

Even natural amethyst may sometimes be seen to look highly uniform, clean, and flawless, being devoid of cracks, cotton-like inclusions, and even bubbles. These are high-grade pieces, which are not cheap. As soon as amethyst exhibits bright reddish-purple colours, it is regarded as collector-grade amethyst of the highest quality. Flawless specimens are very uncommon and thus they are very valuable.