Glass's Energy
Every stone listed below is man-made.
Does that mean it doesn't work as a "crystal", or that its energy is somehow inferior to anything taken directly out of the ground?
There's some debate on that topic, but here's my take. Everything has energy. Plastic has energy, although I wouldn't call it a good energy. I've run across crystals whose energy I didn't like. What it boils down to is this: if it attracts you, appeals to you, and you like the vibe, use it. Wear it. Love it. Many of our bona fide crystals (obsidian comes to mind) are glass, so it can't be excluded on that ground. And, the ancient Egyptians wore and used glass amulets.
Personally, I think Opalite, for example, has an undeniable mysticism and energy that I find useful and beautiful. So do what your heart tells you. This page is meant to tell you a bit about how each of these things is made, and my personal impression of the energy from them.
That said, glass does not have a crystalline structure as many other stones do, so the energy tends to be more diffuse and scattered, often softer, but this has its uses.
Does that mean it doesn't work as a "crystal", or that its energy is somehow inferior to anything taken directly out of the ground?
There's some debate on that topic, but here's my take. Everything has energy. Plastic has energy, although I wouldn't call it a good energy. I've run across crystals whose energy I didn't like. What it boils down to is this: if it attracts you, appeals to you, and you like the vibe, use it. Wear it. Love it. Many of our bona fide crystals (obsidian comes to mind) are glass, so it can't be excluded on that ground. And, the ancient Egyptians wore and used glass amulets.
Personally, I think Opalite, for example, has an undeniable mysticism and energy that I find useful and beautiful. So do what your heart tells you. This page is meant to tell you a bit about how each of these things is made, and my personal impression of the energy from them.
That said, glass does not have a crystalline structure as many other stones do, so the energy tends to be more diffuse and scattered, often softer, but this has its uses.
Goldstone & Blue Goldstone
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Often mistaken for a natural stone, Goldstone is actually manmade. Legend has it that a monk accidentally knocked copper shavings into a glass specimen and therefore it's sometimes called Monk's Stone. It has been in production since the 17th century.
Silica (glass) is molten and then mixed with copper salts. As the glass cools the copper turns into a purely metallic state, producing the shimmering starry effect that it's known for.
I think it's breathtaking, and i use it often. Because of its copper content it shares many metaphysical properties with copper: attracting abundance, harmonizing relationships, creativity, and amplifying the effect of the stones (and energies) around it.
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Often mistaken for a natural stone, Goldstone is actually manmade. Legend has it that a monk accidentally knocked copper shavings into a glass specimen and therefore it's sometimes called Monk's Stone. It has been in production since the 17th century.
Silica (glass) is molten and then mixed with copper salts. As the glass cools the copper turns into a purely metallic state, producing the shimmering starry effect that it's known for.
I think it's breathtaking, and i use it often. Because of its copper content it shares many metaphysical properties with copper: attracting abundance, harmonizing relationships, creativity, and amplifying the effect of the stones (and energies) around it.
Opalite
Opalite goes by many names, among them Tiffany Stone, Ice Cream Opal, Sea Opal Glass, and others. You will also often seen it sold as "opal" and "moonstone", which it is not. It is a man-made glass with a mystical, milky, iridescent hue that shows up particularly well against dark backgrounds and looks more clear-yellow and translucent against lighter backgorunds. Sometimes it is left chalky on the surface, such as "mystic eggs" which then seem to transform magically when placed in water.
It's made either by infusing high quality glass with a milky lemon blue coloring to produce the lovely soft opalescent effect we see in the finished product. Or sometimes, layers of glass are laid down with metal oxide between the layers and then the whole lot is bonded together. In this case, it is the iron oxide that causes light hitting the Opalite to diffract and produce the 'opalescence'. In that case it will have the energy of the metal, as well.
It's said to work with the Third Eye and Crown chakras, enhancing connection to the sacred and increasing intiution. It is a serene stone and aids in healing, stabilizing mood, and overcoming fatigue.
And, it's downright gorgeous. It is at home set in silver, copper, gold or colored wires, and I really love it in black, because any dark background truly makes it glow.
Opalite goes by many names, among them Tiffany Stone, Ice Cream Opal, Sea Opal Glass, and others. You will also often seen it sold as "opal" and "moonstone", which it is not. It is a man-made glass with a mystical, milky, iridescent hue that shows up particularly well against dark backgrounds and looks more clear-yellow and translucent against lighter backgorunds. Sometimes it is left chalky on the surface, such as "mystic eggs" which then seem to transform magically when placed in water.
It's made either by infusing high quality glass with a milky lemon blue coloring to produce the lovely soft opalescent effect we see in the finished product. Or sometimes, layers of glass are laid down with metal oxide between the layers and then the whole lot is bonded together. In this case, it is the iron oxide that causes light hitting the Opalite to diffract and produce the 'opalescence'. In that case it will have the energy of the metal, as well.
It's said to work with the Third Eye and Crown chakras, enhancing connection to the sacred and increasing intiution. It is a serene stone and aids in healing, stabilizing mood, and overcoming fatigue.
And, it's downright gorgeous. It is at home set in silver, copper, gold or colored wires, and I really love it in black, because any dark background truly makes it glow.
Dichroic Glass
Dichroic glass is glass containing mutliple layers of metals or oxides that give it the metallic, iridescent, shimmering qualities it's known for. It was originally created for the space and laser industries and developed by NASA (cool, huh?)
It really isn't used often metaphysically, but I don't see why not. Since I personally could get lost looking at the details of those iridescent colors, I think it makes a fantastic stone as a meditation focus. Because the metals and contents and colors vary so much, I can't really tell you what a given stone's uses are, so I will simply tell you to go with your intuition.
Dichroic glass is glass containing mutliple layers of metals or oxides that give it the metallic, iridescent, shimmering qualities it's known for. It was originally created for the space and laser industries and developed by NASA (cool, huh?)
It really isn't used often metaphysically, but I don't see why not. Since I personally could get lost looking at the details of those iridescent colors, I think it makes a fantastic stone as a meditation focus. Because the metals and contents and colors vary so much, I can't really tell you what a given stone's uses are, so I will simply tell you to go with your intuition.
Blueberry "Quartz"
Made with inclusions of a blue material within a silica matrix, I think blueberry quartz is quite striking. I enjoy wire-wrapping it because it has enough going on to keep your eye mainly on the stone, but if you choose to focus behind it you'll see the wire-wrapping I did on the back of it, too.
Its energy tends to be a little on the mystical side, but also tranquil and calming.
Made with inclusions of a blue material within a silica matrix, I think blueberry quartz is quite striking. I enjoy wire-wrapping it because it has enough going on to keep your eye mainly on the stone, but if you choose to focus behind it you'll see the wire-wrapping I did on the back of it, too.
Its energy tends to be a little on the mystical side, but also tranquil and calming.
Cherry & Volcano Cherry "Quartz"
Cherry quartz looks essentially like blueberry quartz, with pink or red inclusions instead of blue. Volcano cherry quartz, on the other hand, has inclusions that area all the shades of flame. Again, made with a silica blended to create the fiery inclusions.
It is a healer of emotional wounds, a dissipater of anger, and a "stone" of creativity. It is a heart chakra stone.
Cherry quartz looks essentially like blueberry quartz, with pink or red inclusions instead of blue. Volcano cherry quartz, on the other hand, has inclusions that area all the shades of flame. Again, made with a silica blended to create the fiery inclusions.
It is a healer of emotional wounds, a dissipater of anger, and a "stone" of creativity. It is a heart chakra stone.
Swarovski Leaded Crystal
While Leaded "crystal" (sold under the trade name Swarovski and many knock-offs) is NOT the same as quartz crystal - it does not have a crystalline structure - it is still very beautiful. It is not often used for its metaphysical properties and I tend not to use it in large stones (with some exceptions), but I do use it extensively, because its ability to sparkle is absolutely incomparable.
Short answer: this isn't something you buy because you want crystalline energy, but if you want a little glitz and a lot of sparkle, it's awesome. I often add it to pendants made from other stones, and I think that it has the ability to do a little refracting and diffusing of the energy of the stone it's paired with.
While Leaded "crystal" (sold under the trade name Swarovski and many knock-offs) is NOT the same as quartz crystal - it does not have a crystalline structure - it is still very beautiful. It is not often used for its metaphysical properties and I tend not to use it in large stones (with some exceptions), but I do use it extensively, because its ability to sparkle is absolutely incomparable.
Short answer: this isn't something you buy because you want crystalline energy, but if you want a little glitz and a lot of sparkle, it's awesome. I often add it to pendants made from other stones, and I think that it has the ability to do a little refracting and diffusing of the energy of the stone it's paired with.
Sea Glass or Beach Glass (and sometimes River Glass)
You'll find a lot of fakes when it comes to Sea Glass because you can get the same effect in a rock tumbler. If you're a frequenter of beaches and you have a collection, drop me a note ... I'd love to wire wrap some of your treasures since I'm here in landlocked Tennessee and don't get to beach comb!
Here's an interesting thing about Sea Glass, which I think has a significant energy despite being man made... it's only sort of "man made" in that man took raw materials from nature, made something out of it, and then nature acted on it again. And, it has really significant elemental correspondances: The minerals that made it come from Earth, and were then acted on by Fire (slagged and turned into bottles or whatever), then it had to be cooled by Air to turn into whatever it was. Then, it found its way to the sea, where Water and Earth (sand) finished the job and made this beautiful, gem-like thing out of refuse. It tends to be matte, translucent but not transparent, and it's positively magical.
It comes in a huge array of colors although clear, green and brown are the most common. The chakra correspondence and energy are affected by color, but the energy is almost always a soft, soothing, calming one... think about sitting in the sun and listening to the surf, and there you go. Especially if you found it yourself, the stone will call up memories of the day you picked it up, and any day spent on the beach is a good one, in my opinion.
You'll find a lot of fakes when it comes to Sea Glass because you can get the same effect in a rock tumbler. If you're a frequenter of beaches and you have a collection, drop me a note ... I'd love to wire wrap some of your treasures since I'm here in landlocked Tennessee and don't get to beach comb!
Here's an interesting thing about Sea Glass, which I think has a significant energy despite being man made... it's only sort of "man made" in that man took raw materials from nature, made something out of it, and then nature acted on it again. And, it has really significant elemental correspondances: The minerals that made it come from Earth, and were then acted on by Fire (slagged and turned into bottles or whatever), then it had to be cooled by Air to turn into whatever it was. Then, it found its way to the sea, where Water and Earth (sand) finished the job and made this beautiful, gem-like thing out of refuse. It tends to be matte, translucent but not transparent, and it's positively magical.
It comes in a huge array of colors although clear, green and brown are the most common. The chakra correspondence and energy are affected by color, but the energy is almost always a soft, soothing, calming one... think about sitting in the sun and listening to the surf, and there you go. Especially if you found it yourself, the stone will call up memories of the day you picked it up, and any day spent on the beach is a good one, in my opinion.
Lampwork Glass
Okay, the photo is a terrible example of lampworked glass but as it turns out, I don't use it much. I'm not sure why that is, I think it's really cool.
Lampworking is basically taking a torch and using it to build a bead around a mandrel. The art form is mind-boggling and I'm honestly not quite sure why I don't use it more often... each bead is hand made with care and so they tend to be miniature works of art.
I'll find a better example, I promise!
Okay, the photo is a terrible example of lampworked glass but as it turns out, I don't use it much. I'm not sure why that is, I think it's really cool.
Lampworking is basically taking a torch and using it to build a bead around a mandrel. The art form is mind-boggling and I'm honestly not quite sure why I don't use it more often... each bead is hand made with care and so they tend to be miniature works of art.
I'll find a better example, I promise!
Vaseline Glass
Vaseline glass is simply the coolest thing ever. You might have a mom or grandmother who collected Depression glass, in the era where you could buy a box of oatmeal and get a gorgeous faceted glass plate in it (seriously!). When those glass makers were in their heyday they made a glass with trace amounts of Uranium in it, and as a result the only way to positively identify Vaseline or Uranium glass is to hit it with a black light, at which point it will glow like crazy (what you are seeing in the picture at left). Want to see more about it? Go to THIS LINK and click on the pictures to see various pieces in regular and UV light. One of these days I'd love to have a curio collection.
It's been determined to be safe becaues it was made, not with the unstable element uranium but with the compound uranium dioxide. While it WILL register on a geiger counter, the readings are not high and it is not felt to be harmful.
That said, I would not wear these pieces on a daily basis, but if you spend any time under UV lighting they can be quite the conversation piece! Most of the pieces I use it in are quite small beads rather than large focal items.
Vaseline glass is simply the coolest thing ever. You might have a mom or grandmother who collected Depression glass, in the era where you could buy a box of oatmeal and get a gorgeous faceted glass plate in it (seriously!). When those glass makers were in their heyday they made a glass with trace amounts of Uranium in it, and as a result the only way to positively identify Vaseline or Uranium glass is to hit it with a black light, at which point it will glow like crazy (what you are seeing in the picture at left). Want to see more about it? Go to THIS LINK and click on the pictures to see various pieces in regular and UV light. One of these days I'd love to have a curio collection.
It's been determined to be safe becaues it was made, not with the unstable element uranium but with the compound uranium dioxide. While it WILL register on a geiger counter, the readings are not high and it is not felt to be harmful.
That said, I would not wear these pieces on a daily basis, but if you spend any time under UV lighting they can be quite the conversation piece! Most of the pieces I use it in are quite small beads rather than large focal items.