Crystal Trade Names-The Pros and Cons

In the metaphysical crystal industry, there are a whole host of trade names used to identify particular materials.  The names given can be based off of the color, the location they are from, what they are reminiscent of, and the supposed metaphysical properties they posses. This practice can have benefits, but it can also cause much headache to collectors. Let's consider some of the Pros and Cons to giving crystals Trade names.

 

First, lets give some examples of what I'm referring to when I say "trade names".

There is a variety of Amethyst often carved and polished into spheres and towers. The purple quartz and white quartz combination of the material forms a zig-zag pattern due to the colored layers and formation process.  The trade name for this patterned material of amethyst is often called "Chevron Amethyst" or "Dream Amethyst".  The first trade name given is due to that chevron like pattern formed from the amethyst and quartz. The second name is given to this material in reference to the metaphysical properties it is supposed to posses: better sleep and insight into dreams.

The scientifically minded name for something like this would just be "Amethyst and Quartz" sphere, tower, etc.

Some common trade names that you have probably heard of are : Lemurian crystals, Super Seven, Ocean Jasper, Golden Healer, Flower Agate, Celestial Quartz, Bumble Bee Jasper, and Spirit Quartz, just to name a few.

Cons

• Sometimes multiple names can be given for the same material, or one name can apply to several different types of materials.  This can easily cause confusion to a buyer if they have a specific trade name in mind and might end up purchasing and assuming something is what it was advertised as, when it fact, it is not.

• A trade name might mislead buyers regarding the composition of the item itself. For example, Bumble Bee Jasper is not jasper at all. It is a fibrous form of calcite with pyrite and realgar inclusions. This makes the stone much softer than it would be if it were jasper, and the toxic realgar component could have negative health effects if the customer chose to use the piece in an unsafe way, not knowing this mineral was part of the stone.

• Giving common minerals trade names that reflect some sort of healing, spiritual  or other metaphysical benefits, means that they cost significantly more in price. A lovely quartz crystal cluster can cost $10, but spray it with titanium vapor to give it a rainbow iridescence, call it Aura Quartz, and now you can sell it for $ 45. Unfortunately, those looking for mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical help are swindled into spending an exuberant amount for something that is no where near worth that price. I might be an outlier, but I find this part of the industry, and this practice to be unethical and predatory.

 

Pros

• For materials that are comprised of several different types of minerals, a singular but descriptive trade name can be helpful to identify it. For example, the rock known as Lapis lazuli is mostly comprised of three different minerals: lazurite, calcite and pyrite. These three minerals together form this very recognizable material. It seems appropriate, then, that using one specific trade name for this stone helps identify it to everyone.

• Trade names can come in handy in separating out varieties of the same mineral, because of the various shapes it can form in. For example, quartz is one of the most common minerals found on the Earth. It also can appear in different colors, combinations of such, crystalized or cryptocrystalline, and growth structures. The trade name "Spirit Quartz" or "Cactus Quartz" are the common names of a particular variety of amethyst coming out of South Africa. It has a very recognizable shape and growth pattern that makes it distinct among quartz. The names only apply to this variation and thus allow it to stand out from all other quartz crystals.

• Established trade names can help customers and collectors find what they are looking for, and mineral and crystal shop owners then succeed in business. If a material is already well known in the industry by a specific trade name, and you sell it, then your customers can easily find you. For example, if I were to mention the name "Grape Agate", most would easily call to mind only one thing: purple spheres of quartz, of varying sizes, all stuck together like a cluster of grapes. But from a strictly scientific naming convention, anything spherical in shape is often called "botryoidal", and quartz that is purple is considered amethyst. So these mineral formations might then be called Botryoidal Amethyst. Although the word botryoidal is well known and understood among mineral collectors, those on the metaphysical side of the industry who collect "crystals", might not recognize it by that name. If you own a mineral or crystal business, and refuse to use any trade names, many customers won't be able to find what you are selling and you'll miss out on business. 

With many mineral and crystal shop owners conducting business strictly online, trying to help your customers find you can be a challenge. When trade names are commonly used in the industry, using them in your business helps you to get found. I can sell a colorful piece of jasper, but if I only refer to it as "colorful jasper", my website might not receive many visitors. But if I use common trade names for desirable material ( Ocean Jasper, 8th Vein Ocean Jasper, Polychrome Jasper, Kambaba Jasper, etc.) then I'm more likely to get visitors and customers when those names are searched for.

The decision to use trade names, or how and what ones to use, will be different for every crystal or mineral shop. You'll find in my own shop that trade names are used on some occasions but not others.

There's a lot of debate in the industry over the use of them. However, if the intent is to identify and differentiate, then I think the use of trade names can be a useful thing.