7 Crystals to Start Your Collection

When starting out building your crystal collection, people often ask what crystals they should start with. Generally speaking, we recommend just going for what you are drawn to because intuitively you just know what you need. However, when someone comes with a specific issue they need worked on, there are a number of crystals that we often recommend.

The following list of crystals is just some of our top recommendations for crystals to start with. They are not the only crystals out there that would work in a new collection or for someone new to crystals, though. 

1. Amethyst

Often very much a “gateway” crystal to crystal collecting, amethyst is usually a purple quartz-based crystal that represents spirituality and is the birthstone for February. People are drawn to amethyst for its beautiful color and the amount of variation in its shape and coloration. Some pieces are naturally very deep purple in color, and other rare variations like Vera Cruz Amethyst are a very pale lilac. There are times when very pale amethyst is the result of sunlight fading it, so be sure to keep yours out of direct sunlight for long periods of time.

Amethyst is known to be a good stone for increasing one’s psychic gifts and intuition, aiding one in connecting to higher spiritual powers, protecting from spiritual and psychic attacks, and helping one break bad habits. Ancient Greeks once believed amethyst would prevent them from getting intoxicated, hence why the name translates to “not” and “intoxicate” or stone of sobriety.

Amethyst is a great crystal for magick, crystal grids, meditation, and carrying around with you. Magick with amethyst may focus on working on your Crown chakra and increasing your spiritual connection to the divine. Paired with other protection crystals it could focus instead on protecting you. Spellwork involving breaking a bad habit or losing weight may involve amethyst as well.

In gridwork, you may use amethyst for similar purposes or bringing higher vibrational energy into your space. When meditating with amethyst you may find your energy rising very quickly to higher divine planes, making it easier to reach those planes during it. You can also wear and carry around your amethyst with you on a daily basis to keep your divine connection or help with your intuition throughout the day. I have one piece of amethyst I pull out sometimes during tarot reading to help connect to higher spiritual energies.

Shop Amethyst Here.

2. Clear Quartz

Clear quartz is another big recommendation for starting out with crystals. Quartz makes up one of the largest families of crystals out there and it tends to be the most plentiful. You can find quartz in a number of varieties including the crystalline clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, and smoky quartz. Non-crystalline members of the quartz family include agates, chalcedony, and jaspeers.

Clear quartz, though, is the colorless and clear (or nearly clear) variety of quartz that has endless possibilities. It forms in clusters of points and can be found on the market as small points, polished spheres and towers, carvings, jewelry, etc. Some people value the perfectly clear specimens of quartz while others enjoy specimens with internal fractures and rainbows. Clear quartz also often forms with various inclusions of other minerals like lodalite or tourmaline that make it just that much more special. Quartz comes in so many subtle variations of natural formations that it would take its own post to really delve into all these subtle differences.

The reason clear quartz is so highly recommended as a starter crystal comes down to the fact that while it is good for clarity and cleansing, it is also a very programmable stone that amplifies other energies. When working any magick or healing with crystals, you can program the stone with your intention to bring it into reality. This is helpful if the crystal you think you need for a spell or healing is not easy to acquire. The clear quartz will amplify the intention you give it and make it easier to manifest. You can also add a piece of quartz to crystal spell bags to amplify the energies of the other crystals.

Shop Quartz Here.

3. Fluorite

Fluorite is one of the most colorful crystals out there. Completely pure fluorite will be clear or translucent, but the introduction of “impurities” while it forms creates a rainbow of colors including yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, and brown. Fluorite gave its name to the phenomenon of fluorescence that some specimens exhibit.

Fluorite’s various colors makes it a useful crystal for a variety of purposes. It is known to bring clarity and calming energies to chaotic situations, bringing order to the space. It is an excellent stone for studying because of this. Specimens with more of one color will aid in areas related to that color. For instance, a blue fluorite will be a good crystal to work with your throat chakra for communication.

Using fluorite in your magick may involve having a piece on your desk while writing or studying to ensure you study effectively. Or you might hold a piece during meditation to keep your thoughts clear and focused on your purpose.

Shop Fluorite Here.

4. Tiger's Eye

Tiger's Eye is a great stone for protection, creativity, and energy. It is usually a golden brown tone, but there are varieties of blue and red out there as well. Tiger's Eye has an optical play of shimmering bands of color referred to as chatoyancy.

Tiger's Eye is a stone of balance, bringing vitality and helping with discernment and practical action. It helps one with staying grounded and centered. It can also aid in creative endeavors.

For magick, you might use tiger's eye in an arrangement on your desk to help with creativity or you might wear a piece to stay energized and motivated throughout the day.

Shop Tiger Eye Here.

5. Lepidolite

Lepidolite is a crystal that comes in colors of pink, purple or lavender. It is a lithium based mineral from the mica family and tends to be a fairly soft stone. Its soft coloration makes it an excellent stone for calming one’s energies and bringing peace and serenity.

It is a stone that is helpful in bringing acceptance of one’s path, calming the nerves, and dispels negative thoughts and energies. It is a great stone to use for banishing nightmares as well.

Magick with lepidolite might focus on bringing peace to a situation or delving deeper into spiritual studies. It could also be helpful in magick to bring calming energy to the spirit or emotions. In general it is a very soothing stone that can make and excellent touchstone, worry stone, or palm stone.

Shop Lepidolite Here.

6. Black Tourmaline

Black Tourmaline, as the name suggests, is a black stone of protection. It is one of the most highly recommended crystals for psychic protection. It creates an energetic boundary between the self and others energies. While other black crystals like hematite absorb negative energy, black tourmaline repels it away.

For empaths, black tourmaline is an excellent stone to help build and establish boundaries between your energy and others. Wearing a piece as a necklace over the heart, as a bracelet on the receiving side of the body, or just in the pocket is a great way to enforce these boundaries everyday. Some do find that black tourmaline will block out all energies, even those that are helpful, so stay aware of this and take it off as necessary.

If you are wanting to work magick with black tourmaline, you can use small chunks, raw or tumbled, in the four corners or directions of your home or space to create a protective ward. Burying them in the yard at the property line or against the house works for this but also placing inside the at the furthest points on windowsills or door frames would be a good way to bring its protection in.

If you do find black tourmaline to block too much, you can use other black stones like black obsidian instead. It has similar protective properties without blocking everything out.

Shop Black Tourmaline Here.

Shop Obsidian Here.

7. Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz is another excellent stone to start your collection. It is a soft pink quartz mineral that can be found in raw form, points, towers, spheres, and tumbled pieces. You can also find rose quartz in jewelry as well. It is fairly plentiful like amethyst and clear quartz and similar to amethyst it can fade a bit in sunlight if left there too long.

Rose Quartz is a stone for love. And by love we refer to self-love, romantic love, platonic love, and familial love. It works with the heart chakra to bring one in line with Divine love as well. It is a very gentle stone that brings calmness and aids in emotional healing. It can be very useful in helping one to release old wounds and bring hope.

For magick, you could use rose quartz in self-love rituals to remind you to love yourself and care for your emotional needs. It can be a great stone for attracting love into your life as well. It is also useful in meditations or magick to help you be more compassionate with yourself and others.

Shop Rose Quartz Here.

Where to Go From Here?

Starting your crystal collection is a fun process. There is really no wrong crystal to start with. You will be drawn to the crystals that are right for you.

If you need help with selecting crystals online, read our previous post on How to Shop for Crystals Online Here.

Share with us your starter crystals on social media @therosecraftshop on Instagram.