01
Amethyst vs Garnet: Two Dark Stones, Different Stories
Amethyst and garnet both make deep-toned bracelets, but one is quartz and one a silicate group. Colour, hardness, care and price compared.
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Journal
Field notes for understanding materials, comparing stones, choosing size, and caring for what you wear.
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9 records01
02
Black vs Golden Rutilated Quartz: Needle Type, Look & How to Choose
Black vs golden rutilated quartz: both are rutile needles in quartz, separated by iron content. Why the colour differs, what each looks like, and how to choose.
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High-End vs Mass-Market Crystal Bracelets: A Material Reading
The price gap between mass-market and high-end crystal bracelets is set by six material variables: raw cost, yield, polish, sorting, origin, brand model.
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04
Fire Quartz vs Hematoid Quartz: Same Stone, Different Names
Fire quartz and hematoid quartz are identical — SiO₂ with iron oxide inclusions. Why the market uses two names, what the red actually is, and how to assess...
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05
Black Rutile Quartz vs Black Tourmalinated Quartz: Two Black Inclusions, One Critical Difference
How to tell black rutile (TiO₂) needles from black tourmaline (schorl) rods in quartz — visual tests, chemistry differences, and why the market confuses them.
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06
Natural vs Heated Citrine: A Material-First Honest Look
An honest comparison of natural citrine and heated amethyst citrine — both are quartz, both are natural in mineralogical sense, and what the labels actually mean.
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07
Gold Sheen vs Black Obsidian: Sheen Cause, Look & Choosing
A geology-first comparison of gold sheen and black obsidian — what creates the metallic shimmer, how the volcanic glass differs, and which to choose.
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08
Rutilated vs Clear Quartz: Why It Costs 2-50x More
A geology-first comparison of rutilated and clear quartz — how the inclusions form, what each look offers, and how to choose between them for a strand.
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09
Amethyst or Rose Quartz: Which Is Your First Crystal?
A geology-first comparison of amethyst and rose quartz — what gives each its colour, how the structures differ, and how to choose between them for a strand.
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