Better than diamonds: why Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid love ‘near gemstone’ crystals
- Crystals are a billion-dollar industry, collected by celebrities and fetching high prices at auction
- While the diamond industry has been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, ‘near gemstones’ are holding their value
I did not intend to become interested in crystals. It happened, as these things often do, during a long drive through the desert.
A chance pass through Quartzite, in the US state of Arizona, piqued my interest. It corresponded with an annual crystal show where thousands of “rock hounds” convene in the aptly named outpost to sell glittering pillars of rose quartz, amethyst and malachite. The recreational vehicles and tents parked alongside the highway, Burning Man style, demanded investigation.
I soon found myself haggling with a bolero-wearing man named Brian over the price of golden citrine. Later I forked over a few bucks for a rotund couple of break-at-home geodes (dinosaur eggs, I called them as a child) that came with an oversized nutcracker that looked like it belonged in a construction site circa 1976.
It turns out I am late to develop an appetite for “near gemstones”, as diamond dealers call this US$1 billion-plus industry.
