How do I know if a crystal bracelet is original and not fake?

Start by comparing the beads with the reference values for the mineral named on the label, such as specific gravity and refractive index, rather than judging by color; a match is consistent with the label but does not by itself prove a bracelet is natural, untreated or not fake. Clear quartz and citrine both have a specific gravity of 2.651 and a refractive index of 1.544–1.553, moonstone sits lower at 2.56–2.59, and the USGS notes that simulants are frequently substituted for natural gemstones.

Clear Water · $95. View this piece’s details →

Last updated: September 28, 2026

By Mara Ellison · Founding Editor, Dusk & Relic Journal

What is the one rule for telling a real crystal bracelet from a fake?

The rule is this: compare each bead with the reference numbers for the mineral named on the label, not with its color. A mismatch is a reason to doubt the label, and a match is only consistent with it. A shop tag and a shade of yellow or purple are the parts of a listing that a seller controls. Specific gravity and refractive index are measured properties of a material.

The rule matters because fakes are a documented concern. The USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries (February 2026) lists glass, plastics, and other materials as substitutes for natural gemstones. The same report notes that simulants are frequently substituted for natural gemstones.

Every check starts the same way. Find out which numbers the named mineral should have, and then see whether the bead has them.

Which measurements separate real quartz, citrine and moonstone?

Specific gravity and refractive index are the reference numbers most useful here. The International Gem Society publishes these values on its quartz, citrine and moonstone pages. The table uses only values from those three pages.

Stone	Specific gravity	Refractive index	Mohs hardness
Clear quartz (rock crystal)	2.651 (very constant)	1.544–1.553	7
Citrine	2.651	1.544–1.553	7
Moonstone	2.56–2.59	Not given in these sources	Not given in these sources

Moonstone has a lower specific gravity (2.56–2.59) than clear quartz (2.651). A bead sold as moonstone that measures 2.651 fits the quartz reference better than the moonstone range.

The sources used for this article do not give specific gravity or refractive index figures for glass or plastic. This article therefore gives no numeric cutoff for spotting glass. Under the rule, you compare a bead with the named mineral, not with a glass value.

What natural features inside a bead point to real quartz?

The International Gem Society lists color zoning, two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative crystals as natural inclusions in clear quartz. A clear quartz bead that shows these features matches that description. The sources here do not say whether these features rule out lab-grown or other material.

The IGS list does not say that every natural quartz bead contains inclusions. A clean, water-clear bead is therefore not proof of a fake by itself. The absence of inclusions is a reason to compare the bead against the reference numbers, not a verdict.

Can you check authenticity at home, or do you need a gemologist?

The sources used here do not describe a home method for measuring specific gravity or refractive index, so this article does not offer one. Weight felt in the hand is an impression. Specific gravity is a measured number, and clear quartz and citrine are both listed at 2.651.

Mohs hardness is a scale of scratch resistance. Quartz and citrine both sit at 7. The sources used here give no hardness figure for glass, so they cannot support a scratch comparison.

The same order applies stone by stone: reference numbers first, impressions second. See checking whether a carnelian bracelet is real for another example.

What should a listing tell you so you can check the beads?

A listing you can check names the mineral in each bead. With that information, you know which reference numbers apply before the bracelet arrives. A vague name like "crystal beads" gives you no numbers to compare.

A single-mineral strand is the simplest case. Clear Water (clear quartz nuggets, 9mm, $95) names one mineral, so the clear quartz row of the table applies to its stone beads. First Frost (faceted clear quartz, 8mm, $105) names the same mineral in a faceted cut. For either piece, the reference value for comparison is the clear quartz specific gravity of 2.651.

The bead diameter on these listings tells you nothing about authenticity. The mineral name is the field the rule uses.

What are the exceptions to the measurement rule?

Even when a reading matches the named mineral, the rule has limits. These are the exceptions.

Same numbers, different names. Citrine and clear quartz share a specific gravity of 2.651 and a refractive index of 1.544–1.553. Those two readings therefore cannot separate the two names. Sunstruck (citrine / lemon quartz raw nuggets with clear quartz, 8mm, $115) is a strand where both names appear in one piece. For this pair specifically, see how to verify clear quartz versus citrine in a bracelet.

Natural, lab-grown or treated. The sources used here give reference values for minerals. They do not say whether these readings separate natural material from lab-grown or treated material. The IGS notes that heat-treated citrine may fade when exposed to heat. Treatment is a separate question from whether a bead matches the quartz reference values.

Mixed-material strands. Each material in a mixed strand has its own numbers. Bolivian Dusk (Bolivian amethyst and freshwater pearl, 11.5mm, $165) and Little Planet (aquamarine and moonstone, 10mm, $95) each combine two materials. The sources used here cover moonstone's 2.56–2.59 specific gravity range. They do not cover amethyst, pearl, or aquamarine, so those beads remain a gap in this article.

FAQ

Does a heavy-feeling bracelet prove the beads are real?

No. Heft in the hand is an impression. Specific gravity is the measured property, and the International Gem Society lists both clear quartz and citrine at 2.651. Even a matching reading is consistent with the label rather than proof on its own.

If a bead shows Mohs hardness 7, is it quartz?

Not on hardness alone. Clear quartz and citrine both have a Mohs hardness of 7. Hardness describes only scratch resistance, and the sources used here give no hardness figure for glass or other simulants. A hardness result alone therefore does not confirm quartz.

Is moonstone lighter than quartz?

By specific gravity, yes. Moonstone measures 2.56–2.59, which is lower than the 2.651 of clear quartz. A bead sold as moonstone that reads 2.651 fits the quartz reference better than the moonstone range.

Why are fake crystal beads a concern?

The USGS lists glass, plastics, and other materials as substitutes for natural gemstones. The same report notes that simulants are frequently substituted for natural gemstones.