Stardew Valley: Crystalarium Guide - Get and Use %v

Though it is a farming sim at heart, Stardew Valley offers much more than just growing crops and raising animals. Players aim to transform their small farm into a thriving enterprise, and there are numerous valuable items to farm beyond vegetables, including gemstones. These shiny rocks are not only beautiful and valuable, but they also have practical uses in crafting and make excellent gifts.

However, tirelessly searching the mines day after day for the rarest gemstones can become more trouble than it's worth. This is where the Crystalarium comes in handy. With this remarkable gadget, players can take a single gemstone or mineral and use it to produce dozens or even hundreds more. Here's how Stardew Valley players can harness its power.

Updated January 6, 2025, by Demaris Oxman: The 1.6 update brought significant changes to Stardew Valley, including some subtle balance shifts. A few of these changes relate to high-level items like the Crystalarium, which now functions differently in terms of moving it and changing the stones inside. This guide has been updated to include everything players need to know in the latest version of the game.

Obtaining A Crystalarium

To unlock the Crystalarium crafting recipe, players must elevate their mining skill to Level 9. The ingredients needed to craft one include:

99 Stone: This material is readily available; simply break rocks around the farm or in the Mines using the Pickaxe.
5 Gold Bar: Gold Ore can be mined at Level 80 and below in the mines with the Pickaxe. Use 1 Coal to smelt 5 Gold Ore into a Gold Bar at a Furnace.
2 Iridium Bar: Iridium can be mined in Skull Cavern or obtained daily from the Statue of Perfection. See above for smelting ore into bars.
1 Battery Pack: To obtain these, leave lightning rods outside during a thunderstorm. When struck, they'll charge up battery packs for players to collect.

Even without the recipe or the costly, rare materials, there are still a couple of ways for players to acquire this valuable item:

Community Center Bundle: A Crystalarium is awarded to the player after completing the 25,000g Bundle in the Vault section of the Community Center. To complete this bundle, simply donate 25,000g.
Museum: Gunther will gift the player with a Crystalarium after they donate at least 50 minerals (either Gemstones or Geode Minerals) to the Museum Collection.

Using The Crystalarium

Using Crystalarium Once built, players can place their Crystalarium anywhere, indoors or outdoors, on the farm or off it. The Quarry is a popular spot for creating a crystal farm, with dozens of these machines operating simultaneously.

The Crystalarium can replicate any mineral or gemstone placed in it, except for Prismatic Shards. Among the potential candidates, Quartz Quartz takes the shortest amount of time to grow; however, Quartz doesn't sell for much, and considering its abundance in the mines, players are rarely in short supply. On the other hand, Diamond Diamond has the longest production time at 5 days. Yet, their incredibly high value makes the wait worthwhile, as they are the most profitable stone to put in the Crystalarium.

To move a Crystalarium from its current spot, strike it with an ax or pickaxe, which will return it to the player's inventory. If the Crystalarium is replicating a gem at the time, the gem will also drop. If the player wishes to change the stone in the Crystalarium, they can simply place a new stone in a working Crystalarium as they would an empty one. This will replace the current stone. For example, if a Crystalarium is replicating Rubies and the player wants to use it for Diamonds, simply interact with the machine while holding a Diamond. The Ruby will pop out, and the Diamond will go into the Crystalarium.

By inserting a few precious gems and waiting a few days, players will see their profits rise — and considering how many NPCs in Pelican Town appreciate receiving Diamonds as gifts, they'll be well-loved throughout the community too.