Fakes threaten to dull healing crystal industry

SEDONA, AZ (AZFamily) — The healing crystal and gemstone industry is booming, fueled in part by social media.

Jamie Inglett, owner of Enchanting Earth, has gained 215,106 Instagram followers and counting. “It keeps getting more popular,” she said. “Crystals make people feel amazing.”

Inglett recently took her online success to a new storefront in Sedona. “You don’t have to believe in healing crystals or crystal energy to appreciate their beauty,” she said.

As healing crystals continue to gain popularity, fakes are infiltrating the industry.

Shannon Wimberly has been a crystal collector for a few years. “I absolutely know I’ve run into getting fake ones,” she told On Your Side. “So, I started scrutinizing other things more and more.”

It’s an issue Inglett is passionate about. She spends time educating customers and social media followers about the red flags of fake stones. “As a consumer, you really kind of have to do your own research,” she said.

According to Inglett, shoppers could end up with a crystal that was grown in a lab but sold as a natural stone. They could also be duped into purchasing something synthetic, made out of plastic or glass.

To avoid knockoffs, Inglett recommends asking the seller about the origin of the crystal before purchasing it.

“They should at least be able to tell you the country of origin, if not the actual mine name,” Inglett suggested as she tapped on what she believes is a piece of glass, cut and dyed to look like a crystal. “It just sounds different than a natural crystal. It doesn’t get cold.”

“You can find fakes in stores,” she added. “You can find them at gem shows, so you really need to be careful if you’re getting into crystals.”

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