Natural crystal products

Natural crystal products

　　Natural crystal products

　　They are mainly produced in Tuncheng County. The Yangjiaoling Crystal Mine in this county has abundant high-quality crystals that are pure and lustrous. The crystal coffin in Mao Zedong Memorial Hall was made from Hainan crystals.

　　Crystal products are made from block-shaped natural crystals, and their final forms—such as lenses or necklaces—are determined by the size, thickness, and dimensions of the raw stones. High-quality crystal products require the removal of flawed sections from the raw material.

　　Experienced crystal cutters must make very accurate judgments when slicing the raw stones. The actual cutting process generally consists of four steps: 1. Selecting the crystal raw material; 2. Cutting the crystal rough; 3. Shaping the crystal rough; 4. Further refining the shaped rough.

　　It’s hard to tell that natural crystal products are completely different from glass products made by pouring molten material into molds under high temperature and pressure—the latter seem to lack energy and vitality. There is a rich and precious variety of crystals, with about five main types: Amethyst, the only purple gemstone among all jewels, is known as the “king of crystals.” Rutilated quartz comes in many rare varieties such as gold rutile, silver rutile, black rutile, and red rutile, all of which have high ornamental and collectible value. Citrine is crystal clear and extraordinarily dazzling. Crystal jewelry features dazzling and spiritually captivating pieces made from various natural crystals. Optical glass has a high refractive (light-transmitting) index, making it suitable for grinding various optical lenses.

　　Methods for identifying crystal jewelry: Natural crystals are usually colorless and transparent, but they can also appear in purple, yellow, brown, black, and other colors. When crystals contain fibrous or acicular minerals, they can form cat’s eye crystals, star crystals, or rutilated quartz. They can be identified using the following methods:

　　1. Observe the appearance: Natural crystals are sparkling and glossy, with a surface that seems to have a thin oily sheen—white crystals may appear slightly bluish; while artificial crystals look dry and overly white.

　　2. Feel by pinching: Natural crystals feel cool to the touch and have a slightly greasy sensation; artificial crystals lack this feeling.

　　3. Test hardness: Natural crystals are harder than artificial crystals and glass. Trying to scratch one against the other will reveal differences.

　　4. Check the color: Natural crystals form naturally, so their colors are not uniform—there may even be color variations on the same piece, along with possible tiny impurities or silky streaks; whereas artificial crystals or glass products have consistent color and high purity.

　　In recent years, Hainan has introduced foreign processing equipment to manufacture a wide variety of crystal products such as necklaces, bracelets, brooches, earrings, glasses, and exquisitely transparent crystal crafts from high-quality natural crystals. Crystal decorations not only serve an ornamental purpose but also offer health benefits, making them very popular among both domestic and international tourists visiting Hainan.

　　In recent years, Hainan has introduced advanced foreign processing equipment to craft high-quality natural crystals into a wide variety of necklaces, bracelets, brooches, earrings, glasses, and exquisitely transparent crystal handicrafts. These crystal ornaments not only serve as decorative pieces but also offer health benefits, making them highly popular among both domestic and international tourists visiting Hainan.