Crystal Collecting

Learn how to build a crystal collection with confidence.

Learning Centre ~ Becoming A Collector you are here

Whether you’re buying your very first crystal or building a museum-worthy mineral collection, these guides will help you understand specimen quality, identify minerals, care for your collection and make informed purchasing decisions.

How To Build A Crystal Collection

Learn how to build a meaningful collection, choose a collecting style, care for specimens and document your collection like a serious collector.

• 
  How To Build A Crystal Collection
  Learn how to build a crystal collection you’ll treasure for years. Discover collecting styles, expert tips and how to collect crystals with confidence.
• 
  How to Care for and Store a Crystal Collection
  Learn how to care for a crystal collection with expert tips on display, storage, sunlight, humidity, cleaning and protecting valuable mineral specimens.
• 
  How to Document and Increase the Value of Your Crystal Collection
  Learn how to document your crystal collection with locality records, specimen labels and collector tips that preserve history and increase long-term value.

What makes a crystal or mineral specimen more or less valuable? How much is any specimen worth?

Understand what influences the value of a crystal—from rarity and condition to locality, aesthetics and market demand.

How To Value A Crystal

Crystal Features

Discover fascinating mineral species, their geological formation, localities, unusual habits and what makes each specimen unique.

• 
  Crystal Feature: Fluorite
  Welcome to the wonderful world of colourful Fluorite! Read on to see some serious eye candy and learn more about collecting and working with this popular crystal.
• 
  Crystal Feature: Jasper
  This month’s crystal feature is a well known stone that’s often mislabelled! read on to find out more about jasper, and take our quiz to see how many you get right!
• 
  Crystal Of The Month: Mica
  This month’s featured crystal is Mica. Mica is everywhere. If you pick up any rock and see something like glitter sparkles when you turn it in the light, that’s Mica. And many cosmetics sparkle (for example as seen in eye shadows, bronzers etc) comes from powdered Mica. Read on to find out more about this fascinating mineral.

Identifying Crystals

Learn how to identify crystals and minerals using colour, crystal habit, hardness, treatments, locality and other diagnostic features.

• 
  How To Identify A Crystal: Hardness
  Identifying a crystal by hardness. There are several ways of how to identify a crystal or mineral. One of these is by checking the material’s hardness. To do this, we use the ‘Mohs Hardness Scale’. The who’s what now? Read on and be enlightened!

Ready To See Some Beautiful Mineral Specimens?

Put your new knowledge into practice by exploring our carefully curated collection of ethically sourced crystals and mineral specimens.