What does raw mean when buying crystals?

Raw is the natural form, what the crystal looked like coming out of the ground, sometimes with matrix still attached. There is no tumbling and no shaping. The vast majority of our raw pieces we clean and lightly polish ourselves, by hand, with jojoba oil. A raw piece shows you how the stone actually grew.

Are raw crystals lower quality than polished ones?

No. Grade describes the material, not the finish. A raw piece and a polished piece can come from the same rough. Many collectors prefer raw for exactly that reason. A polished stone has been finished for you. A raw one has not, so what you see is the growth itself.

Do you treat or oil your raw stones?

We clean most raw pieces by hand and lightly polish them with jojoba oil, which brings up the natural color without coating or sealing the stone. Anything beyond that, including heat, dye, irradiation, or stabilization, is disclosed on the product page.

Will my raw crystal look exactly like the photo?

No two raw pieces are identical. Size, weight, and form vary from piece to piece, and the listing gives you the measurements for what you are buying. Natural inclusions, matrix, and small surface marks are part of a raw stone rather than a defect.