Disaappointed C.
Experience with damaged citrine and seller response
Purchased four large crystals. The quartz and pyrite were stunning. The rose quartz was decent, although the one we already had at home for about a quarter of the price was actually nicer. Unfortunately, the citrine arrived with an obvious external surface mark that looks like a tool mark, and you can clearly feel the groove with your finger. We purchased the seller’s insurance specifically to cover situations like this. As soon as we noticed the issue, we contacted the seller. Because we actually like the crystal aside from the mark, we requested a replacement rather than a refund or discount. The seller insisted the mark was a natural inclusion. That explanation seemed unusual because the mark is a straight groove on the surface. We shared the photos and description with three separate AI models, and each indicated the mark was consistent with surface damage from polishing or handling rather than a natural feature of the stone. The response from the seller was surprisingly hostile. We were subtly accused of lying, a past chargeback was mentioned that we do not recall, and we were banned from making future purchases. An earlier order had also been cancelled without explanation. At the time we assumed it was an account issue as no explanation was given and we were too busy to follow up. We placed a new order using a different email, which meant losing all our existing rewards points which were at least a thousand or so points. A few things about this experience were disappointing: 1. We asked for a replacement, not a refund or discount. We were willing to pay the original price for a properly finished piece. 2. We purchased shipping insurance specifically to protect against shipping or handling damage, so it was unclear why the request was treated as unreasonable. 3. The tone of the response felt unnecessarily aggressive and hostile. In hindsight, we probably should have followed another customer’s suggestion to stick with smaller stones from this seller. Unfortunately, after this experience we will not be purchasing from them again. The quartz and pyrite were excellent pieces. However, the experience surrounding the citrine and the handling of our replacement request was disappointing. Buyers should assume these items are effectively final sale products.
Response from crystals.comSep 6, 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience. We want to correct a few things here, for anyone else reading. This review leaves out important context. We stopped accepting orders from this customer because of a prior chargeback filed after the order was received — not because of anything to do with this citrine. The earlier order referenced here was cancelled and refunded in full. No one was hostile, and we never accused anyone of lying. What we said — and what we're repeating here — is that the mark on the citrine is consistent with a natural mineral characteristic, not damage. Every piece we sell is a one-of-a-kind natural stone, inspected and photographed before it ships, and small surface variations are part of what makes each specimen genuinely unique rather than uniform and machine-made. As for the chargeback — that isn't something we invented or misremembered. It's documented with our payment processor and was resolved in our favor after review by your own bank. We're a small, family-run business, and we take every order personally — including being misrepresented. We wish you well.