India is regularly described as a country bursting with colour, so it’s interesting that graphic designer Ash Rigby picked a black crystal as his memento while visiting in 2015. A curious choice, it turned out to be a perfect fit with his job back home.

“I bought it from a big Russian guy at the markets in Goa. It’s black tourmaline. There are hundreds of stalls there, so I’m still not exactly sure what attracted me to his one. Maybe it was because he was in his chair sleeping on the job?

It’s meant to shield you from negative energy, electromagnetic smog and the radiation associated with cell phones, computers and other electronic equipment. I’d asked the guy to recommend a crystal for me and he picked this one without knowing that I work on computers all day. I thought that was pretty cool.

It sits under my computer screen on my desk. I find it really grounding. It makes me forget about all the fear mongering that goes on in the world and reminds me there’s something bigger than the day-to-day bullshit.” – Ash Rigby.