Types of Crystals: The Magical Crystal Dictionary

What Are the Main Types of Crystals?

Scientists sort crystals into seven crystal systems by the shape of the repeating pattern their atoms form: cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, hexagonal, trigonal, monoclinic, and triclinic. A crystal is any solid whose atoms are arranged in that kind of highly ordered pattern, and the pattern often shows on the outside as flat faces and sharp edges. Here is where the stones on this page fall:

Crystal system	Stones on this page
Cubic	Fluorite, garnet, pyrite, sodalite
Trigonal	Clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, hematite, and the quartz-family stones carnelian, black onyx, moss agate, and tiger's eye
Monoclinic	Selenite, moonstone
Triclinic	Amazonite, labradorite
Orthorhombic	Aragonite, the mineral that pearls are built from
Tetragonal and hexagonal	None of the stones on this page
No crystal system	Black obsidian, snowflake obsidian, amber, lapis lazuli (see below)

Carnelian, black onyx, and moss agate are forms of chalcedony: quartz made of crystals too small to see without magnification. That's why they look smooth and waxy instead of glassy and faceted.

Which "Crystals" Aren't Really Crystals?

Four of the stones in this dictionary aren't true crystals, even though they're sold and worked with alongside them.

• Obsidian and snowflake obsidian are volcanic glass. The lava cooled so fast that crystals had almost no time to form.
• Amber is fossilized tree resin, not a mineral at all.
• Lapis lazuli is a rock made of several minerals (lazurite, pyrite, diopside, and calcite), which is why it can show gold flecks of pyrite and streaks of white calcite.
• Pearl grows inside a living mollusk from layers of calcium carbonate, mostly aragonite crystals, so it's an organic gem.

None of this changes how practitioners use them. These stones have long been treated as gemstones, and Wikipedia's gemstone entry names lapis, obsidian, amber, and pearl as examples.

Types of Crystals by Color

Color is how most people first sort their crystals, and many practitioners choose a stone by color the same way they choose a candle color.

Purple Crystal Names

Amethyst is the best-known purple crystal, used for peace and intuition. Fluorite often comes in purple bands with green, and is used for focus and clarity.

Pink Crystal Names

Rose quartz is the classic pink crystal, used for love, peace, and self-worth.

Green Crystal Names

Moss agate is green with moss-like patterns and is used for growth and abundance. Amazonite is a blue-green feldspar used for calm and truth. Green fluorite is used for focus and balance.

Blue Crystal Names

Lapis lazuli is deep blue with gold flecks and is used for truth and wisdom. Sodalite is royal blue with white veins and is used for logic and calm.

Light Blue Crystal Names

Amazonite runs from pale blue to sea green and is used for calm and truth.

Black Crystal Names

Black obsidian and black onyx are the two black stones most used for protection. Hematite is a metallic gray-black stone used for grounding. Snowflake obsidian is black with white "snowflake" spots and is used for balance and reflection.

White and Clear Crystal Names

Clear quartz is used for clarity and focus, and selenite for cleansing. Moonstone is white with a blue or rainbow sheen and is used for intuition and dreams. Pearl is used for purity and patience.

Red and Orange Crystal Names

Garnet is deep red and used for passion and love. Carnelian is red-orange and used for courage and creativity. Amber is honey-orange and used for luck and warmth.

Yellow, Gold, and Brown Crystal Names

Pyrite, known as fool's gold, is used for money and luck. Tiger's eye is golden-brown with a silky shine and is used for courage and protection.

Iridescent Crystal Names

Labradorite looks gray until light catches it and flashes blue, green, and gold. It is used for intuition and change.

Types of Crystals by Purpose

These are the uses practitioners most often look for, with the stones from this page that are traditionally chosen for each one.

• Protection: black obsidian, black onyx, tiger's eye, hematite, and pyrite. Our protection crystals guide covers 24 stones.
• Love: rose quartz, garnet, and pearl.
• Calm and focus: amethyst, sodalite, amazonite, fluorite, and clear quartz.
• Money and luck: pyrite, moss agate, and amber.
• Grounding: hematite and moss agate.
• Intuition: amethyst, moonstone, and labradorite.
• Cleansing: selenite and clear quartz.
• Courage: carnelian and tiger's eye.

Types of Crystals by Shape

The same stone is sold in several shapes, and the shape changes how you use it more than what it means.

• Raw crystals are rough, uncut stones, good for altars and grids. Browse raw crystals and rough stones.
• Tumbled stones are smoothed and polished pieces, easy to carry in a pocket or put in a pouch. Browse tumbled stones.
• Points are cut or natural single crystals with one pointed end, often used to direct energy.
• Clusters and geodes are groups of crystals still joined at the base, or hollow stones lined with crystals, often kept on an altar or shelf. Browse geodes and clusters.
• Spheres are polished balls, and clear ones are used for scrying. Browse crystal balls.
• Worry stones are flat, thumb-sized stones with a smooth dip to rub. Browse worry stones and pocket stones.
• Jewelry keeps a stone on you all day. Browse jewelry.

Before you put any stone in water, salt, or sun, check it with our crystal care checker, since soft stones like selenite dissolve in water.

Crystal FAQ

What are the 7 main types of crystals?

The seven crystal systems are cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, hexagonal, trigonal, monoclinic, and triclinic. They group crystals by the shape of the repeating pattern their atoms form.

How many types of crystals are there?

As of August 2026, the International Mineralogical Association recognizes more than 6,200 mineral species. Most crystal shops carry a few dozen of the most common ones.

What is the most common crystal?

Quartz is one of the most common. It is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's crust after the feldspar group, and clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, and smoky quartz are all forms of it.

Is amber a crystal?

No. Amber is fossilized tree resin. It is treated as a gemstone and worked with like a crystal, but it has no crystal structure.

What is the difference between a crystal and a gemstone?

A crystal is any solid with an ordered, repeating atomic pattern. A gemstone is a stone cut or polished for jewelry, usually a mineral crystal, though some rocks and organic materials like lapis lazuli, amber, and pearl count as gemstones too.

What are green crystals called?

Common green crystals include moss agate, amazonite, green fluorite, green aventurine, jade, and malachite. This dictionary has full guides for moss agate, amazonite, and fluorite.