Crystal Jewelry

Meanings of Crystals

Many different faiths and new age beliefs assign mental, physical, and spiritual properties to crystals. Generally, crystals are worn to either enhance or inhibit certain states, and combining different crystals can amplify their energies or create entirely new characteristics. While the different meanings can vary widely even for the same type of gem or mineral, some of the most popular attributes are as follows:

• Alexandrite: Increasing self esteem and enhancing love and good luck.
• Amethyst: Overcoming addictions and focusing meditation.
• Fluorite: Increasing intuition and concentration and providing general healing powers, particularly for arthritis and ulcers.
• Hematite: Offers general protection and eases aches; improves both memory and personal relationships.
• Jade: Eases high blood pressure and offers general healing properties, also increases love attraction.
• Jasper: Improves the wearer’s endurance, courage, and concentration.
• Malachite: Lowers stress and anxiety and helps the wearer attain goals.
• Moonstone: Increases intuition, inspiration, and good fortune.
• Obsidian: Dispels negativity and reduces depression.
• Onyx: Guards against general negativity and sharpens senses.
• Quartz: Considered one of the most powerful crystals, the properties of quartz vary by color and include healing, increasing energy and self-confidence, and providing a sense of peace.
• Tigers Eye: Enhances inner balance of material and physical needs and provides insight.
• Turquoise: Powerful for healing and personal protection as well as enhancing communication.

There are hundreds of different types of crystals available with meanings as widely varied as the belief systems that generate them. With this in mind, individuals interested in crystals for their metaphysical properties should choose stones for their needs based on the philosophy that best matches their own beliefs.

Types of Crystal Jewelry

Faceted crystal pendant.

Once you have chosen the crystals you would like to wear as jewelry – either because you believe in their potential powers or you simply like their natural beauty – it is easy to find different designs that incorporate them. Rings and pendants are the most popular options, though earrings and bracelets are also common. Most crystal jewelry is handmade and may include elaborate metal settings (some metals are thought to enhance the mystical properties of crystals) or additional bead embellishments.

Some crystals, such as quartz and fluorite, may be faceted just as more familiar gemstones are. All true gems, in fact, are crystals themselves, including diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.

As jewelry incorporating crystals becomes more popular, some gemologists are reexamining the quality and beauty of less popular minerals, and more unusual crystals are becoming valuable as designer pieces because of their unique colors and configurations.

Benefits of Crystal Pieces

Not only are crystal items purported to have metaphysical properties, but they have several other benefits as well. Crystals come in a much wider range of colors than traditional gem stones, giving wearers greater flexibility to find a unique, yet beautiful, piece of jewelry in atypical shades. Crystals may be cut or tumbled, resulting in unusual shapes and polishes, and crystal jewelry is often far less expensive than gemstone jewelry.

Some crystals, such as peridot, may even be available as both gemstones and tumbled crystals, offering interested wearers many options for how to display their favorite stones.

Where to Find Crystal Jewelry

Because most crystals are still relatively undervalued, their jewelry is not typically found in mainstream jewelry stores. Online stores offer a greater variety of both jewelry and carved crystal figurines, wands, and eggs, while niche boutiques that carry new age items such as incense, bamboo arrangements, and meditation devices are likely to offer a collection of crystal jewelry as well.

Creating Your Own

If you are unable to find the exact combination of crystals you want in a jewelry piece, it is easy to create your own custom designs. Many independent, alternative jewelry designers are willing to create customized pieces with crystals that patrons provide, and they may even be willing to work closely with customers to bring their visions of specific types of jewelry to reality. If you are only interested in a simple piece, however – such as a basic pendant – there are do-it-yourself jewelry kits that can help you make the item yourself for far lower costs.

Crystal jewelry is popular not only for its acclaimed mystical properties, but also for its versatility and stunning variety. From rich black shades to blood red hues to light purple, translucent white, or aqua green tints, there is a crystal for every color of the rainbow and interested crystal connoisseurs can easily find one to create a unique and luxurious piece of jewelry to suit both their mental and physical preferences.