Last August while on vacation in California, I purchased some wonderful natural crystals from which I created molds. This collection of blue and teal faux crystals were created from those molds. I have a theory as to why some of the faux crystals come out crystal clear and others are more opaque when removed from their respective molds. Although these faux crystals were made from the same batch of resin, I’ve noticed that various molding compounds do make somewhat of a difference. EasyMold Silicone Putty is a shiny purple compound that seems to produce a clearer end result while the molding putty made by Ice Resin is more porous and produces an effect that is slightly matte. Both formulas have their merits depending on the end result I’m after. For example, a faux Rose Quartz crystal looks more natural if it is a bit cloudy, whereas a faux sapphire is more believable if it is crystal clear. Another factor is the porosity of the item from which the mold is made…if your model has a very smooth, slick surface, chances are your resulting resin piece will be very clear. I’ll be cleaning and buffing these faux crystals before setting them into bezels and I guarantee, they will be quite stunning as finished jewelry pieces!