✨ Because I use both treated and untreated crystals in my jewelry offerings I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about the different treatments used on quartz crystals. ✨
It’s my pleasure to create beautiful pieces of jewelry made with the highest quality stones I can find and also pleasing to look at. After all, adornment is all about finding something that is both aesthetically pleasing and fun to wear! That is why I offer natural untreated stones and crystals as well as the treated varieties of crystals. And if these treated stones appeal to you, by all means buy them – I will be the first to admit that while I LOVE natural stones, there is a very appealing aesthetic to the beautiful colors available of Aura Quartz. I have quite a few in my personal collection! The thing is, I want you to be able to recognize the differences in quality.
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We can all agree that no Aura Quartz is actually ‘natural’ – they’ve all been altered by humans one way or another, but they all start with a natural quartz crystal.
What I’m going to talk about today is the different treatments and how you can tell the difference.
Coatings or treatments of crystals are a common way to create new colors not found in nature.
Years ago it was discovered that you could take a somewhat tough mineral (quartz) and place it in a vacuum chamber, heat it to a very high temperature (about 1600 F) and fuse it with an element (precious metal) in gas form. The result is a durable, permanent bond that gives a beautiful sparkle and color to the crystal.
The most common of these elements are gold, titanium, indium and iron oxide.
Gold creates blue, or Aqua Aura. Titanium produces an opalescent white coating, or Angel Aura. Indium produces a violet hue and gives us those beautiful Tanzanite Auras, and Iron Oxide colors the quartz a gorgeous orange, with a vibrant sparkle we call Sunset Aura or Tangerine Aura.
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Of course technology is always moving forward, and the demand for more colors and more affordable options introduced a ‘new’ treatment of dying and Teflon coating. This is often referred to as “Jelly Quartz” or “Jelly Aura”. The Teflon coating gives the quartz a nice rainbow effect, but… one of the reasons for the cost savings is that the coating is sprayed on to the stone. By spraying the coating on the stone, you create a surface that can be easily scratched. Also, if you have ever sprayed paint on a multi edged surface, I’m sure you have noticed that the paint is much thinner on the edges. This can lead to a very unappealing look when that coating starts to wear off, especially if the stone is a hybrid, which is a crystal that exhibits multiple colors. The alternative I have seen is the application of several coats which actually gives the crystal more rounded edges.
In my experience, the easiest way to visibly identify the differences in the ‘Jelly Aura’ as opposed to the higher quality vacuum Aura is to look for a diamond or square patterning on one side the stone. See the photo on the left as opposed to the same crystals on the right?
The second way to identify is by how the crystal feels. The texture on the jelly crystal is very different from its counterpart, as it has a super smooth texture and in some cases will almost feel like a thick varnish. You won’t get that with the vacuum bonding, because it is a micro fine fused layer, so the crystal will feel almost like its natural counterpart.
Finding a crystal that speaks to you is a very personal journey and you should always choose the one that speaks to you. This article is simply meant to furnish you with information. I hope you found this article both helpful and informative.
Artist Note:
You may find that from time to time I offer a piece with the Teflon coating – but you can be assured that when I include this type of treated crystal in a jewelry piece or home decor item, it will be noted in the description. Sometimes as stated above, it is about the aesthetic and what is pleasing to the eye. 98% of my Aura crystals are high quality, true vacuum fused Aura’s.
For additional info regarding other treatments being used on a variety of stones and crystals, you can check out the following website: TheVug.com
