Side-by-side comparisons, with honest differences rather than a forced winner. Every pairing is best for someone different — the point is to work out which one is best for you.
Amethyst vs Rose Quartz
| Amethyst | Rose Quartz | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Purple, from pale lilac to deep violet | Soft pink, usually translucent to milky |
| Hardness | 7 (Mohs) | 7 (Mohs) |
| Look | Cooler, more formal, striking in bold beads | Warm, gentle, understated |
| Best for | Anyone drawn to purple; strong colour statement | Anyone drawn to pink; subtle everyday wear |
| Care | Avoid prolonged direct sun | Avoid prolonged direct sun |
Both are quartzes with the same hardness, so durability is comparable. Choose by colour and mood: amethyst reads cooler and more dramatic, rose quartz warmer and softer. In traditional crystal literature amethyst is associated with calm and reflection, rose quartz with warmth and affection — a matter of tradition, not medicine.
Black Obsidian vs Black Tourmaline
| Black Obsidian | Black Tourmaline | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Volcanic glass, not a mineral crystal | A crystalline mineral (schorl) |
| Hardness | About 5–5.5 (Mohs) | 7–7.5 (Mohs) |
| Surface | Glassy, mirror-smooth, very black | Softly vitreous, sometimes visibly striated |
| Wear | Easier to chip; protect from knocks | Noticeably more scratch-resistant |
| Best for | Glossy, uniform black look at a lower price | Daily wear and a more durable black |
If you want the deepest mirror-black and do not mind handling it carefully, obsidian wins on looks. If you want a black bracelet you can wear daily with less worry, tourmaline is the tougher mineral. In traditional associations both are linked with grounding and protection; obsidian is glass, so treat it accordingly.
Citrine vs Tiger's Eye
| Citrine | Tiger's Eye | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Golden yellow to amber | Banded gold and brown with a moving sheen |
| Hardness | 7 (Mohs) | About 6.5–7 (Mohs) |
| Treatment | Commonly heat-treated quartz | Usually natural; occasionally dyed |
| Look | Translucent, warm, luminous | Opaque, chatoyant, shifts with the light |
| Best for | Warm, sunny translucency | A metallic, shifting, bolder look |
Both sit in the warm gold family but look nothing alike: citrine transmits light, tiger's eye reflects it with a moving band. If you want glow, choose citrine; if you want movement and texture, choose tiger's eye.
Labradorite vs Moonstone
| Labradorite | Moonstone | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature effect | Blue-green spectral flash (labradorescence) | Soft white-blue glow (adularescence) |
| Base colour | Grey to dark, flashes colour | Colourless to milky white |
| Hardness | About 6–6.5 (Mohs) | About 6–6.5 (Mohs) |
| Best for | Bold, dramatic, colour-shifting look | Delicate, luminous, understated look |
Both are feldspars with similar hardness and both play with light, but in opposite registers: labradorite flashes colour from a dark base, moonstone glows softly from a pale one.
Fluorite vs Amethyst
Both can be purple, which causes constant confusion. Amethyst is quartz with hardness 7 and a single, stable hue per piece. Fluorite is softer at hardness 4, often grows in banded zones of green, purple and blue within one stone, and is far more prone to scratching. If you want a purple you can wear daily, amethyst is the practical choice; if you want multicoloured banding and accept careful wear, fluorite is the more interesting stone.
Rose Quartz vs Strawberry Quartz
| Rose Quartz | Strawberry Quartz | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Pink quartz; colour from trace titanium, iron or manganese | Quartz grown with red hematite inclusions |
| Look | Even, milky pink, cloudy to translucent | Pink-to-clear base with visible red flecks |
| Pattern | Consistent from bead to bead | Random — no two beads match |
| Hardness | 7 (Mohs) | 7 (Mohs) |
| Care | Avoid prolonged direct sun | Avoid prolonged direct sun |
| Best for | An even, understated pink | A textured, one-of-a-kind look |
Both are quartz at the same hardness, so this is purely a question of look. Rose quartz gives you a uniform, soft pink; strawberry quartz is a clear-to-pink stone scattered with red hematite flecks, so every bead differs. One thing to watch: because strawberry quartz is uncommon, a lot of cheap listings are dyed crackle quartz with painted "seeds". Real inclusions sit inside the stone and sparkle as the bead turns; painted ones sit on the surface and do not. See the Material & Treatment Guide for the full test.
Natural vs Treated Crystal
Natural means mined, not manufactured. Treated means the mined stone was altered — most commonly heated or dyed — to improve colour. The honest position: treatment is normal and often good value, provided it is disclosed. Full definitions are in the Material and Treatment Guide.
Crystal vs Gemstone
Colloquially "crystal" implies a mineral with a visible crystalline structure, and "gemstone" implies material cut for jewellery. In practice the categories overlap: amethyst, citrine and rose quartz are both crystals and gemstones. The useful distinction is hardness and wear, not the label.
6mm vs 8mm beads — and 8mm vs 10mm
6mm reads delicate and suits small wrists or stacking. 8mm is the all-round everyday size for most people. 10mm is a bold statement that sits most naturally on larger wrists. Larger beads use more material, so the same species costs more per bracelet at 10mm than at 6mm. See the full breakdown in the Size Guide.
Crystal Bracelet vs Crystal Necklace
A bracelet is visible to you all day and is easy to stack, but sits where you work with your hands, so it takes more knocks. A necklace sits closer to the face, is less exposed to impact, and reads as a more deliberate piece. If you want a daily companion, choose a bracelet in a tough stone; if you want a focal piece, choose a pendant. We list both: bracelets and necklaces.
Frequently asked questions
Amethyst or rose quartz — which should I choose?
Both have the same hardness, so durability is comparable. Amethyst reads cooler and more dramatic; rose quartz is warmer and more understated. Choose by colour and by how you want the piece to feel.
Is black obsidian or black tourmaline better?
Obsidian is volcanic glass at about 5 to 5.5 Mohs and can chip; tourmaline is a mineral at 7 to 7.5 Mohs and is noticeably tougher. Choose obsidian for the deepest mirror-black look, tourmaline for daily wear.
What is the difference between labradorite and moonstone?
Both are feldspars with similar hardness. Labradorite flashes blue and green from a dark base; moonstone glows softly white-blue from a pale base.
Is 8mm or 10mm better for a bracelet?
8mm suits most wrists and most everyday wear. 10mm is bolder, uses more material and usually costs more, and looks most proportional on wrists of about 17 cm and up.
Is a treated crystal worse than a natural one?
Not inherently. Treated stone is still genuine stone; treatment simply improves colour or durability. The real issue is whether the treatment is disclosed honestly.