FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We're here to help you with any queries or questions you have. Happy customers make us Happy. The FAQs below might give you the information you're looking for, but if not then please contact us and we will reply quickly and honestly.

Are the Crystals you sell 'real'?
Yes - we only stock genuine crystals and work with trusted suppliers to ensure authenticity.
How can I be sure that the Crystals on sale have good provenance?
At Crystals by Serendipity we have a policy that ensures you can shop with confidence, knowing that we have researched our supply chain to the fullest possible extent. We only deal with mines, providers and suppliers that have a strong ethical policy in place, which do not use child labour, operate a fair trade policy and are against testing products on animals. We also ensure that all products we source come from sustainable supplies.
What are the claims you make for the virtues of Crystals based on?
Historically, Crystals have been touted as ancient forms of medicine, with philosophies borrowed from Hinduism and Buddhism. However, it’s important to note that there’s no scientific evidence to support the use of Crystals. Despite this, people are still drawn to their colours and beauty.
As you will see by browsing through our pages, there are numerous different types of Crystals, Rocks & Stones, each of which I believe to be filled with their own 'abilities' for healing the mind, body, and soul. I (and others) think they promote the flow of good energy and help rid the body and mind of negative energy thereby bringing many physical and emotional benefits.
The keys to indulging in and benefiting from this self-care experience are the practices of Mindfulness, Reflection, and Acceptance. It is well understood, for instance, that a person’s mind may have much more healing power and general capability than the average person gives it credit for - the key is to 'Open The Mind To The Possibilities'.
Therefore, despite the absence of scientific studies to support the Power of Crystals, worldwide, significant numbers of people, myself included, attune to Crystals and swear by their powers.
Wherever this website refers to what a Crystal can do this is always a statement of my personal opinion and in no way am I making claims that the Crystal will have this affect on you.
So, if you’re curious to give them a go, make sure to keep an open mind and check out what each gorgeous Stone, Rock, Crystal can do for you.
Do you accept custom orders?
Yes, if there is something you are looking for please get in touch and we will do our very best to source what it is you are looking for if we do not already have the items in our extensive range in our incredible Crystal Cave.


Do all Crystals have Imperfections and what are Inclusions?

A natural crystal is nature’s creation, and nature is rarely perfect. Natural crystals are expected to have some degree of imperfection.

Crystals can have both external and internal flaws, often called inclusions. External flaws commonly found in precious gemstones show as scratches, blemishes or minor chips. Internal flaws are also often found, and are like the fingerprint of a gem; each gemstone has its own unique internal structure. Due to these inclusions, no two gemstones are alike. A crystal is as unique as a snowflake, and it is these inclusions, or flaws, which make gemstones even more intriguing and precious.

Inclusions can also include mineral or crystal deposits and growths inside the stone. Some crystals have internal cavities, often occupied by a liquid, such as water, saline, liquid carbon dioxide or natural hydrocarbon compounds. For example, Opals have an extremely high water content, and it is partly this liquid that is responsible for producing their vivid rainbow tones. Gasses can also occupy cavities inside gemstones, creating what may look like bubbling or hazing inside the stone. Layers of growth created over the years can create layered flaws within the stone, creating optical illusions where flaws are seen from one angle but not another, or creating colour changes depending on how the stone is viewed.

It is a common misconception that these inclusions are bad, especially since they can manifest as cracks, feathers, fractures, hazing or clouds, but the truth is that these inclusions are not bad. They do not make the crystal  “faulty”. Many gemstones are actually valued more highly because of their inclusions. The value of a crystal  is based on its rarity and not whether or not it has these imperfections or “flaws”. A crystal with impurities and inclusions may actually be considered a perfect specimen, and could be more valuable than you would expect.

Please consider this before being thinking that your crystal is flawed, imperfect, bad, or defective. Each crystal is a little miracle created by nature, and just as with ourselves, it is imperfections that help make them what they are. If you are seeking absolute perfection, then a natural crystal/gemstone is probably not the piece for you.

What is the MOHS Scale?

The MOHS scale of mineral hardness is a qualitative ordinal scale, from 1 to 10, characterising scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of harder material to scratch softer material. This test compares the resistance of a mineral to being scratched by ten originally and now a revised fifteen reference minerals known as the Mohs Hardness. 
Scale. : a scale of hardness for minerals in which 1 represents the hardness of Talc; 2, Gypsum; 3, Calcite; 4, Fluorite; 5, Apatite; 6, Orthoclase; 7, Quartz; 8, Yopaz; 9, Corundum; and 10, Diamond. 
The revised and expanded version of the original Mohs' scale which provides finer distinctions between the harder materials and in which 1 represents the hardness of Talc; 2, Gypsum; 3, Calcite; 4, Fluorite; 5, Apatite; 6, Orthoclase; 7, Vitreous pure Silica; 8, Quartz; 9, Topaz; 10, Garnet; 11, Fused Zirconium Oxide; 12, Fused Alumina; 13, Silicon Carbide; 14, Boron Carbide; and 15, Diamond

You can learn more about the MOHS scale here

How much does Postage/Shipping Cost and how are the rates calculated?

The Postage cost of everything your order is based on the weight of the items in your order and is calculated automatically when you 'checkout'.

Most items are posted direct from our Crystal Cave in Devon. Items which are printed to order (like t-shirts, mugs, beach towels etc) will be sent to you from our Print Partner. Postage for those items will be charged separately to those which we post to you. 

If your order for non printed items looks to be between 2 & 6 kilos we would suggest checking out 2-3 times to save on postage costs! As it’s quite a leap from 2 kilos. 

How long will it take for my order to be delivered?

Items which we post from our Crystal Cave are usually posted within 24 hours of the order being placed using the Royal Mail 2nd Class service, or the alternative service which you select. Order over 2kg will be sent by Parcel Monkey.

Royal Mail second class usually arrives in 2-3 working days. Parcel Monkey's target delivery time is 24 hours.

Printed items (like t-shirts etc) are printed to order usually within 5 working days and are posted to you using the service you select at checkout (which range from next next delivery to 2-3 working days).

Please remember that these are the 'target' delivery times given to us by third party suppliers and so we cannot guarantee them.

How will the items I order be packed?

We make our impact on the environment as small as possible so 😃🌈🌎:

All of the packaging we use to send you your Crystals is 100% re-used and fully recyclable to ensure our impact on the environment is as minimal as possible.

We ensure that any packaging that we receive from our suppliers is recycled and reused at all possible opportunities.

All the beautiful items sent from our Crystal Cave are always wrapped and packed lovingly having been Sound Bath & Sage cleansed and Reiki Charged.

Every Box we pack is either reused or made from recycled cardboard.

Printed items like t-shirts mugs, beach towels etc will be sent to you in plastic free, or fully recyclable plastic or compostable paper/cardboard packaging.