How can we tell if our carnelian stone is fake or real? We have all the tips you need (and images) to make sure you buy a real crystal!
Carnelian stones are precious.
Even though they are common, it does not demean their importance and quality. However, there are several fake carnelian stones out there
Without proper guidance, you might be deceived by the striking resemblance of both stones.
Therefore, I have done my research and experiment on this concept and discovered enough information about original and fake carnelian stones.
Pay attention to what you are about to read because it will save you from making a wrong purchasing decision concerning carnelian stones.
What does a Carnelian Look Like?
Carnelian is a hard mineral substance that is in the family of chalcedony. It is referred to as a semi-quartz stone.
Amongst the family of chalcedony stones, carnelian is referred to as the least expensive. This does not mean it is not valuable. However, it falls least in the family of chalcedony stones.
The carnelian stone has quartz properties as well, but it is partly quartz and stone.
When you look at a carnelian stone, it is orange in color.
Although, there are disputes about its color.
Some claim it is purely orange, while others claim it is pale orange, or rich, reddish orange. We also heard that carnelian could come in reddish brown, which also appears in the form of orange.
Amongst the popular orange stone family, carnelian seems to be the most popular. Do you know that orange stones are popular?
Orange stones are uncommon stones.
They are not like black stones, white stones, or blue stones. They are not commonly found around like other stones.
This gave orange stones prominence amongst the class of crystals and gemstones.
This makes carnelian pretty unique, attractive, and special.
The image below shows what a carnelian looks like:
It is mostly orange in color. When the carnelian is exposed to enough sunlight, it gets darker. This is because iron oxide is part of the carnelian’s properties.
In ancient history, carnelian stone is seen as a spiritual substance of virtue.
It is believed that the carnelian stone fell from heaven and shattered into million pieces of carnelian stones, which we can pick up for our benefit.
What does a Fake Carnelian Look like?
Do you know that there are fake carnelian stones out there? If you don’t know this, then you should continue reading this article to understand more. Even if you know about this, ask yourself, “Can I spot a fake carnelian stone?”.
- If you see a fake carnelian stone right now, can you recognize it?
- What does a fake carnelian look like?
A fake carnelian looks like the original carnelian stone. If you don’t pay enough attention to certain things, it might be difficult to spot the differences between them.
A fake carnelian also comes orange in color like the original carnelian stone. This is why you can be easily deceived.
However, if you pay close attention to the fake carnelian, you will notice a band of patterns in the fake carnelian stone.
These patterns were formed due to heat. The fake carnelian stone is called heated agate.
Additionally, fake carnelian stone is not durable in quality as original carnelian stone. The sad part is that people tend to realize this only after they have purchased the fake carnelian stone and used it for a while.
You can spot this difference before purchasing by scratching the surface of the supposed carnelian stone.
If the stone is affected by the impact, then it is fake. Original carnelian stones are harder in substance than fake carnelian stones.
How to tell if Carnelian is Fake? 7 Ways
Do you know that you can spot the authenticity of the carnelian without stress? All you have to do is pay enough attention to details. Once this is achieved, you will have no problem knowing the difference between both stones.
Fake carnelians are on the rise. Whenever you see a carnelian stone, don’t get carried away by the beautiful color and its shiny exterior properties. Look beyond the surface. Observe certain things.
I have discovered 7 simple ways to check if carnelian is fake. Here they are:
1) Heat
The original carnelian stone is a poor heat conductor.
It does not get warm quickly under heated conditions.
If you have access to fire or direct sunlight, you can test for this.
Place your carnelian stone into the sun or above the fire for some seconds and check how it responds to heat. Once it becomes unbearably hot, it is most likely fake.
Fake carnelian stones are good heat conductors. They were made from heat. Therefore, they respond faster to heat.
Once you notice that your carnelian stone responds faster to heat, then it is not original.
2) The temperature
When you hold a carnelian stone, it is cool to touch because it is natural.
No matter the temperature around, you will realize that a cool sensation flows with this stone.
Now, the fake carnelian stone was made through heat, right? Therefore, once you touch it, it feels warm.
This is something to observe before purchasing your carnelian stone.
Touch it and feel its warm or cool temperature to ascertain if it’s worth your attention or not.
Original carnelian stone has a cool temperature and this also makes it slightly heat resistant. This is another obvious difference between both elements.
3) The weight also matters
One of the ways to differentiate between original and fake carnelian stone is the weight.
Now, quite a lot of people don’t know this.
To my surprise, during my research, I discovered that people don’t know the weight difference between fake and original carnelian stones.
A common reason behind people’s ignorance of the weight between original and fake carnelian stone is that they are used to either the original or fake.
However, when you hold both in your hands, the difference will be clear.
Original carnelian stone is heavy. However, fake carnelian stone is featherweight.
Therefore, whenever you want to buy your carnelian stone, look out for the weight. If it does not feel slightly heavy, then it is probably fake.
4) The color
When you look at original and fake carnelian stones, they look the same in color. Both are orange or reddish brown. However, if you take a closer look at both stones, you will observe the difference.
The original carnelian stone has an evenly spread color.
When you expose the original carnelian stone, you will see an even spread of color. It is fully orange.
However, the fake carnelian stone has different layers or bands of colors. When exposed to light, this will be visible.
Therefore, before buying the carnelian stone, try exposing it to light for better judgment and decision. Once you notice bands or layers of colors, it is a fake carnelian stone.
5) Physical Markings
The original carnelian stone does not have any visible markings or patterns.
Before you can discover any visible marking or pattern on the original carnelian stone, it might require the use of a microscope or bright light.
When you look at fake carnelian stones, you will see a lot of patterns.
It might come in the form of air bubbles, bandings, and so on. All of these were formed during the making of such stones.
Once you notice this, don’t buy it. Original carnelian stones do not have visible patterns or inclusions.
6) Durability
Another thing to consider about fake and real carnelian stones is their durability.
Whenever you see a carnelian stone, be assured of its longevity.
Sadly, people only realize how original or fake a carnelian stone is after they have made the purchase. This should not be so.
There is a way you can test the durability of the carnelian. Before making the purchase, try scratching the surface of the stone.
Once you see a mark on the surface upon the first attempt, then it is a bad sign.
This points to the fact that it is fake. It gives you a glimpse of how long it will last. Therefore, stay away from it.
7) Light Penetration and Reflection
When you see a carnelian stone, it is translucent.
This means that it does not reflect light. However, the fake carnelian stone reflects light.
Therefore, try exposing the carnelian stone to see if it reflects light or not.
If it does, then it is a fake carnelian stone. The original carnelian stone does not reflect light. Light does not pass through it.
Does a Fake Carnelian Stone also have Spiritual Benefits?
No, a fake carnelian stone does not have spiritual benefits.
Only the original carnelian stone has spiritual benefits. If you want to get a carnelian stone for spiritual purposes, then you should go for the original one.
Spiritually, the universe will never speak to you with a fake carnelian stone. This is because a fake carnelian stone does not have any connection with spirituality.
Fake carnelian stones are made by men, and not nature.
Therefore, their energies will be manipulated. Because of this, it is advisable to not get fake carnelian stones for spiritual purposes.
Fake carnelian stones can bring bad luck and negative energies to people.
During the creation of such stones, the people might have released negative energy through their words and thoughts.
Trying to channel the energy of this stone for yourself will expose you to negativity.
This is why you should avoid using fake carnelian stones for spiritual purposes.
Using fake carnelian stone also affects your spiritual sensitivity.
Your spiritual senses will be affected.
Your sense of judgment will also be affected. Using fake carnelian stone affects your perception as well. Everything about fake carnelian stones does not support proper spirituality.
Why should you use the original carnelian stone?
Original carnelian stone gives you the following spiritual benefits:
- Carnelian stone gives you sound mental health. It frees your mind from depression. Whenever you are going through negative emotional energy, using the original carnelian stone gives you the peace of mind you need. It frees you from sadness, anxiety, and fear. Becoming exposed to the carnelian stone helps your mind to be healed of traumas and negative experiences.
- For healthy self-esteem, the carnelian stone will come in handy. If you suffer from negative and unhealthy self-esteem, the carnelian stone has the energy to help. By opening your mind to the carnelian stone, you will become confident in your abilities and potential. Spiritually, carnelian stones are used to speak to you about self-confidence.
- The carnelian stone protects you from negativity. Whenever you dream of a carnelian stone, the spiritual world is protecting you from negative spiritual attacks. When you feel vulnerable, ensure you get original carnelian stones. This cannot be enjoyed with fake carnelian stones. To be free of negativity and bad luck, carnelian stones can help.
- The orange color of carnelian stones helps with self-will and determination. The energy from carnelian stones fuels your passion to succeed. It helps your mind to see success as possible. In addition to this, the carnelian stone will give you the inner strength to push through every negative situation that comes your way on your journey to success.
Using the original carnelian stone provides these spiritual benefits to you. Therefore, ensure to get the real carnelian stone for spiritual purposes.
Without any spiritual purpose or need, fake carnelian stones can be used as jewelry for a limited time.
How Much Does a Real Carnelian Cost?
A real carnelian is not rare. Unlike other orange stones, a real carnelian is commonly found by everyone. Therefore, it is affordable.
According to research, a carnelian stone costs $9 on average. The stone becomes more expensive as the size increases.
Where can I buy a Real Carnelian?
You can get a real carnelian in jewelry stores. It falls into the category of luxurious stones. Therefore, you can also find them in antique stores.
Check online jewelry stores like Etsy, amazon, and so on for authentic carnelian stones.
Final Words
The original carnelian stone is beneficial. Therefore, ensure to get it for yourself. With the information you have in this article, you will not be deceived in making the right decision about original or fake carnelian stones.
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