Dyed Stones

[Mithrea]

I bought an amethyst chip bracelet a little while back and after wearing it all day noticed that my wrist had turned purple. I had noticed that they were particularly deep colored, but hadn't thought much else about it. After talking to my grandfather and aunt (who is a lapidary), I learned that it is really common to dye stones to make their color more rich or to pass them off as another stone. For example, howlite is often dyed blue and passed off as turquoise. What are your thoughts on this practice and does it affect the way you use or purchase your stones?

[Mithrea]

My thread got buried in all of the bumping!

***BUMP***

[Demeter]

A howlite dyed to look like turquoise does not gain the attributes of a turquoise. You might use it for a color focus, but not as a crystal. If the amethyst on your bracelet was in fact a pale amethyst dyed to look deeper in color, it would have the amethyst attributes. If it is a quartz dyed to look like amethyst, it would have quartz attributes.

[Bainidhe Dub]

I bought an amethyst chip bracelet a little while back and after wearing it all day noticed that my wrist had turned purple. I had noticed that they were particularly deep colored, but hadn't thought much else about it. After talking to my grandfather and aunt (who is a lapidary), I learned that it is really common to dye stones to make their color more rich or to pass them off as another stone. For example, howlite is often dyed blue and passed off as turquoise. What are your thoughts on this practice and does it affect the way you use or purchase your stones?


When I buy stones for my own personal use, I make sure I'm getting the real thing (I use the same store every time - they've been good to me - no howlite dyed to be turquoise lol) But with amethysts, rose quartz, and garnets (stones that are more likely to be dyed), it doesn't change the stone's meaning to me.

When buying gemstones for jewelry though, dyed stones are not the best, because they do tend to stain the wearer - which is annoying lol. I've found some gorgeous rose quartz beads that weren't dyed the bright pink you usually see them as and they were just amazingly clear while still having a pink "glow" - I wouldn't go back to dyed RQ after seeing those.