- Wealthy people are
spending thousands of dollars on giantcrystals , according to a LA Times report. - Some are sold as decorative pieces and others are sculpted into chairs or coffee tables.
- One LA-based Crystal store sold four of its $45,000 crystal throne chairs in the past few months.
Giant crystals have become a status symbol among the wealthy.
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, people are splurging thousands of dollars on oversized crystals and using these to decorate their homes. Stores are selling crystals as decorative items or sculpting them into coffee tables or chairs and selling them on at a higher price.
West Hollywood store Crystalarium told the Times it has sold four of its $45,000 amethyst throne-like chairs in the past few months. One was bought sight-unseen and another was displayed aboard a customer's yacht, it said.
Another LA-based crystal seller Lenise Sorén has amethyst coffee tables on sale that cost as much as $125,000, according to the Times.
LA-based interior designer Demetra Chazanas told the Times she has been inundated with requests from clients who need help sourcing giant gemstones or advice on how to display them.
The Times said the trend has been exacerbated by the pandemic as consumers spend more time at home and invest more money in their properties. Moreover, a bigger focus on wellness during this time has made crystals more popular. Crystals are thought to have healing qualities, though there is no scientific evidence to back this up.
The gemstones market has boomed in recent years and has a cult following of fans, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Kardashian, and Wall Street financiers. Insiders estimate that the industry is worth $1 billion-plus.