Common Mislabelled Crystals - Paying more for a cheaper crystal?

Crystals are beautiful, and if you are reading this article, you probably cannot get enough of it. Hours upon hours spent picking the best crystals for its properties or just to get your hands on the rarest material. But, what if you paid through your nose just to get the wrong crystal?

Here are some crystals pairings that often are the victims of the old name switcheroo:

#1 Orchid Calcite vs Sunstone

Sunstone is a type of feldspar, so when light is shone onto the orange pockets, it will shimmer almost like a glitter. Orchid calcite will have a slightly geometric pattern throughout the entire crystal (a common calcite structure), and will not have any noticeable shimmery pockets.

#2 Smithsonite (Chinese Larimar) vs Larimar  (from the Dominican Republic)

Larimar has a wave-like pattern that resembles the ocean waves and sea-foam. Smithsonite, while coloured very similarly to Larimar, will not have the interlocking white lines that give it the desired water patterns. 

Another indicator would be the price, as Larimar is only found in a few mines in the Dominican Republic, making them very expensive. So, do be cautious if the price of the 'Larimar' you are looking at seems too good to be true.

#3 Opalised Fluorite (Sagenite) vs Charoite

Opalised fluorite often has a lot of white in the mix of purple while Chlorite does not. Charoite might have black in the mix of purple with the purple shimmering slightly, giving a hypnotic swirl effect, when turned around in the light.