A very simple hardness test can determine if selenite is real or fake. Selenite hardness is very low and you can scratch real selenite with your fingernail. Often, fake selenite is represented by plastic or glass, which cannot be scratched by a fingernail.
Selenite is a calcite mineral. It has the chemical formula Calcium Sulfate Dihydrate. Many sellers sell Satin Spar with the selenite label to scam people.
Selenite sells for a higher price than the Satin spar. It is better to find how to tell if Selenite is real or fake to avoid scams. You can cleanse your crystals with selenite when you know you have an authentic crystal.
What Are the Key Differences Between Real and Fake Crystals?
Real hematite properties include a natural luster and weight, while fake crystals often appear lighter and have a glassy sheen.
When identifying real hematite properties, look for the characteristic metallic color and coolness to the touch. Fake crystals may have irregularities or air bubbles.
How to Tell if Selenite Is Real or Fake?
Finding an authentic selenite can help you cleanse your stones with perfections.
You can also get the healing benefits with the Selenite crystal.
There are many ways to identify the Selenite.
Some ways relate to the physical properties of the Selenite crystals.
Some tests can also confirm the authenticity of the selenite crystals.
You can do these tests to confirm the crystal identity.
1. You Can Tell if Selenite Is Real or Fake by Conducting the Scratch Test
Most sellers with fake Selenite use plastic to make them.
Selenite is not a hard material because it has a low score on the Moh hardness scale.
It is one of the easily scratchable stones.
Selenite has a hardness score of two on the Moh hardness scale.
Most materials can make a scratch on the Selenite.
If the fake Selenite consists of plastic, you cannot scratch it with your fingernail.
Plastic has a hardness score of more than four to five.
Nails can only scratch the stones with a hardness score of three or less.
You can place the selenite crystals on a flat surface and make a scratch on them with your nail.
It should make a scratch on the selenite.
You should also see some white crystalline material on the flat surface.
It is a confirmation that you have the authentic selenite.
It is better to combine this test with some others to confirm the crystal identity.
2. You Can Tell if Selenite Is Real or Fake by Observing the Color for Inclusions
Selenite has transparent crystals with a unique shape.
Due to near-perfect cleavage, you can take small pieces of selenite crystals away from the main crystal.
It is also possible due to the small cracks on the surface of the selenite crystal.
- Most selenite crystals do not have any inclusions. It does not have a color as it forms with the sedimentary rock formation process. You will not see a change in the light color when you put it on the selenite crystals. The difference in light color when you pass it from the crystal is pleochroism. There is no pleochroism in the selenite because light has the same color when you view it from different angles.
- Selenite does not look like a single crystal from a distance. It appears you are holding a piece of glass consisting of many small pieces. It is hard to break the selenite crystals. They will not shatter into pieces when they fall from a short distance. Glass does not show this ability as it breaks into many pieces with little force.
- Some sellers sell Satin Spar with the label Selenite. You can differentiate them by looking at the inclusion. Satin Spar has red inclusions due to iron particles. It can also have green inclusions.
- If you find a crystal with a white appearance and metallic sheen, it should be Satin Spar instead of Selenite.
- It is easy to distinguish the Selenite and Plastic material. You can find differences in the physical features of these materials.
3. You Can Tell if Selenite Is Real or Fake by Observing the Shape and Crystallography
All the physical properties of the Selenite crystals are due to the way Selenite forms.
Selenite forms under high pressure from the deposition of the gypsum impurities.
It takes many years to form a small crystal of Selenite.
Larger crystals take more time to form.
The crystals appear like sheets of glass as all the sheets form at different times.
Selenite uses the same way of formation as the sedimentary rocks.
You can find the Selenite crystals in the Sedimentary rocks.
Saline lakes and Salt deposits are also excellent places for Selenite formation.
You can find some effects of the iridescence in the selenite crystals.
- Satin Spar gives a chalky look because it consists of fibrous material. You can identify the difference by placing the Selenite crystals with the Satin Spar. Selenite will show higher transparency than Satin Spar.
- It is hard to polish and carve the Selenite due to its low hardness and brittle structure. If you find an item with perfect curves and polish, it should be plastic. Alabaster also looks like the Selenite. You can make these structures with the Alabaster. Sellers make some structures with the Alabaster and sell it as Selenite.
- You should not buy these ornamental pieces as Alabaster and plastic do not have a high value. You may lose money if you buy them for a high price.
4. You Can Tell if Selenite Is Real or Fake by Observing the Luster
Luster is a parameter of crystal surface appearance.
Luster is the ability of the crystal to reflect light.
Light interacts with the Selenite differently than other crystals.
Selenite looks like glass when you put light on it.
It is known as the sub-vitreous luster of the Selenite.
You will see a pearly color at the locations of the crystal with cleavage.
- The white color at the crystal cleavage is due to the higher refractive index of the surface. Light will reflect differently from the surface near the cleavage. Cleavages have a larger surface area than flat surfaces. It is an identification feature as other materials do not show these properties.
- The best way to observe the luster is by placing the crystal in the sunlight. You can also put it in the light of the tube light and move it slowly. It should not separate the light into different wavelengths. If you see different colors when you move the crystal, the crystal is not a Selenite.
- Satin Spar is famous for giving a reflection of a different color when light reflects from its surface. Glass looks different than the Selenite because it will make a clear reflection of the objects near it.
Satin Spar concentrates light at the center of the stone. When you move the crystal, the light effect will move to a different location. This effect is known as the Cat’s Eye Effect. It is impossible to see this effect in the Selenite.
5. You Can Tell if Selenite Is Real or Fake by Checking the Temperature
Some types of Quartz look the same as Selenite crystals.
People use Selenite because it transmits energy.
Selenite has higher energy than Quartz crystals.
Selenite will feel warmer when you touch it.
It is easy to differentiate the temperature of the selenite from the Quartz by keeping both crystals together.
You can also differentiate the Quartz from the Selenite because you cannot scratch the Quartz with your nails.
Quartz can break into pieces as it does not splinter when you put some force on it.
Authentic Selenite crystals will splinter when you scratch them with your nails.
You can check the difference between the plastic and the Selenite by placing them above a flame.
Plastic will give a burning smell.
You will not get the bad smell of selenite crystals when you put them above the flame.
To Summarize: How to tell if Selenite is Real or Fake
Selenite is a cleaning crystal with many healing benefits.
Finding an authentic Selenite crystal is crucial to get the healing benefits.
Some points can help you differentiate authentic crystals from counterfeit ones.
- Selenite has a low hardness score as you can scratch it with the fingernail.
- You can identify the authentic Selenite as it does not have color.
- There are fewer inclusions in the Selenite.
- Parts of Selenite react differently to light due to refractive index differences.
- Selenite is warm to the touch. You can differentiate Selenite from Quartz with this feature.
- Selenite does not produce a plastic-burning smell when you put it on flame.