There is some misinformation (fake news) and I've only found it on one website, who I will be emailing to correct them.
http://www.kskyethelabel.com/how-to-spot-a-fake-crystal/
They say on their page bullet point #7 below Imitation/ Simulated/ Fake "The main way to tell the difference between quartz and glass is 'magnification'. If you put your crystal over words in a book or a magazine, real quartz does not magnify the words. Where as, glass does."
This a absolutely false.
I came across this from a dearly loved, although slightly misinformed, Amazon customer. So, this is somewhat of a rebuttal to his incorrect claim that our Clear Quartz Bracelets must be fake because they magnify images. This is incorrect.
a) Some of the best magnifying lenses are actually made from fused Quartz. Quartz is Silca where glass is Silcon Dioxide. Fused Silca also known as Quartz when it is fused Naturally is much harder than glass at a MOHS Hardness of about 7 to 7.5 (Diamonds being 10). Glass on the other hand is a MOHS Hardness of 5. So, the best way to determine if a Quartz bead or Quartz product is glass or not is by doing a simple MOHS hardness test. Basically scratching the item in question. So, Glass at a 5 Hardness will scratch with something of higher hardness. Like high carbon steel at 5.5 or Quartz at 7 will scratch glass.
- The difference between glass and Quartz is that Quartz is Silca and Glass is Sicon Dioxide. Totally different with different mineralogical properties.
- Fuzed Quartz is a man-made version of Quartz that makes some of the best magnifying lens. So, how is it that the magnification of the Quartz make it a fake or glass. Totally false.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_quartz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnifying_glass
The reason for the magnification is the shape of the beads. If you have a rounded shape of Quartz, Amethyst (also Quartz), Citrine (also Quartz), Fluorite, or even Celestite, they will all magnify the image underneath them. I have tested this with all of the minerals I just mentioned and all of them magnify.
I personally have tested for magnification for the following crystal types and they all magnify if the correct shape: Quartz, Citrine, Amethsyt, Rainbow Fluorite, Celestite. So, it is not the crystal type that causes the magnification, but the shape of the bead.
b) I've also tested all of our beads with a MOHS Hardness test to confirm that my bead shop never sends me fakes by mistake or on purpose. So, they have all been tested.
Additionally, we have sent sample bracelets to Amazon's 3rd party testing laboratory and they all passed as natural gemstones. We had to do so in order to be approved as a seller in the Jewelry Category.
So, our Clear Quartz Bracelet Beauties do magnify when held to a page and are most definitely Quartz.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you again. It is truly an honor I hold in high regard.
Dan (Chief Customer Servant)
Zenergy Gems (Peace-full Positive Energy Gems)