I consider myself to be an optimistic skeptic. At heart I’m always hopeful for the best, but as anyone who lives in New York knows, you can’t survive in this city without a healthy does of cynicism.

So, in order to survive our skepticism, we write blogs, we do yoga and we go to group meditations and talk about our feelings. We travel often and look for authentic experiences. We're mindful, we manifest and we're #grateful. We smudge regularly and sometimes we just need a bit (or a lot) of liquid happiness.

I wholeheartedly subscribe to all of the above, but my cynical side keeps me acutely aware of how pretentious and clichéd this caricature of a mature millennial can sound. So it was with equal parts optimism, skepticism and love for all things gem related that I tested the recent launch of Advisory Board Crystals. 

Like many mindful millennials I'm a huge fan of Well + Good. Their articles seem to read my mind, offering answers to all of the wellness questions I might ever have, so I can easily spend hours getting sucked into link after glorious link of useful info. On one of these occasions I came across their feature on Abc. After having recently listened to a podcast about the power of crystals on That's So Retrograde, my other wellness obsession, I had to find out more. 

Abc is the digital answer to the contemporary crystal shop. In a world where people immediately understand what you mean when you describe a brand as 'the Warby Parker of XYZ,' you could say that Abc is the Warby Parker of crystals, although I’m not sure they would embrace that label.

Given that you’re reading this post, you likely already know that crystals are believed by some to have energy properties that transmit their wavelengths through the body, promoting different energy shifts. Now the skeptic in me says this is for people who are not totally in touch with reality, but the hopeful optimist in me says, even if it’s just a placebo, what’s wrong with believing in a bit of crystal magic?

And if you’re going to believe in crystals, Abc is the most chic, if not slightly pretentious, source you can find. Each season, Abc offers a 'curated' selection of crystals that are 'based upon a multitude of factors that orbit around a singular theme. That theme comes from feelings, thoughts, inspirations, astrology, moon phases, and that something in the air,' as the website describes.

Their inaugural collection is entitled ‘What Took You so Long,’ and is inspired by the romance of ‘Divine Timing.’ Abc is the brainchild of Remington Guest and Heather Haber, a couple who met in an Uber Pool, so they have serious cred when it comes to the crystal catalyzed magic of divine timing.

Their first collection is described as aligning the moment of ‘waiting for that perfect person, job, or moment; this is what encapsulates the feeling of now. It’s the breakthrough period. It’s knowing that the wait is over and that everything you've done up until this point has gotten you right where you're supposed to be.’ 

The collection is made up of five crystals: Moonstone, Labradorite, Pyrite, Rose Quartz, and Chrysocolla, which are said to ‘develop and enhance your chance at catching this moment in all aspects of the spectrum.’

Each crystal can be bought separately, but since my cynical aura needed a serious cleansing, I sprung for the whole set for $42. It came in a well thought through transparent vacuum-sealed pack.

As Abc describes below, each stone has its own powers:

Moonstone has the ability to create new beginnings, stimulate psychic perception, enhance awareness, and appreciation for Divine Timing, helping manifest your moment.

Labradorite is the “Stone of Magic,” the most powerful protector of the aura, and is all about ‘coincidence control’ - giving you the power to guide yourself and that moment toward each other.

Pyrite promotes the health and vitality of the physicality of a relationship, bringing the energy needed to keep the lust electric.

Rose quartz, a talisman of relationships, is very effective at attracting new love, romance, and intimacy.

Chrysocolla completes the spectrum by aiding in truthful and heartfelt loving communication.

I have to say that I was entranced by the descriptors, and at the very least, the stones make for a beautiful arrangement on my coffee table. Did they work? Well, since the time that they manifested themselves on my doorstep, I finally won the visa lottery I’d lost the two years prior, I got a promotion and a great new apartment. Coincidence? Perhaps. Divine timing? Definitely.