Over the top ritual tools

I think there kind of stupid... I like shiny fancy handmade things just as much as the next girl but do you really NEED a diamond edged athame or wood burned fairy music box? I feel that some people focus more on what the tools look like or how fancy they are more then the purpose they're used for... Maybe I'm just envious of things I can't have...

What do you guys think about obnoxiously fancy ritual tool?
Opinions?

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For thousands of years witches (of all different types the world over) used hardly any tools at all! It is only since The Craft became more openly accepted that all these fancy tools came on the market.
In ancient times a European witch used very few tools, and as they had to remain hidden and secret, they were just everyday objects. A cop for a chalice, a kitchen knife for an Athame, a couple of small bowls for salt and water. A candle or two. (These were for lighting. They had no magical significance.) The "magic" of old times was the knowledge the witch had acquired about the natural order of things about the countryside. Mainly herbs and fungi, and the healing powers and poisons each plant possessed. My witch teacher never had a wand, neither have I.

What Brysing says is true, and tools themselves are not "necessary". They are only there to help the mind tie in what is happening spiritually with something he/she can see and touch with ease.

However, previous to Christianity, when magic was an accepted and even "necessary" part of religion and culture, fancy and elaborate things were common for those who had the wealth or skill to obtain them.

Egypt stands out in my mind most when discussing "over the top" tools. The pyramids themselves were placed specifically to coincide with astrological positions and pointed toward the heavens as perfectly built mathmatical structures. Their tombs, pure works of art! We know so much about them due to the amazing amount of detail and dedication they put into their religion and rituals.

The idea of it is that the material used (pure metals, precious stones, etc) resonated pure clean energy. This belief was later repeated in alchemy. "Fine" materials to this day are seen as "special" and used for things that have the most sentiment, in order to demonstrate utmost honor, respect, and care.

Putting a lot of effort into creating an object or structure was a spell in itself. The amount of focus and thought when creating it causes this.

People have always used art, architecture, etc to perform a magickal purpose. The Native American dream catcher, African masks, Ukrainian pysankas, even Catholic churches themselves are known for their "over the top" ritual tools (for mass) with matching "over the top" intricate statuary and archetectural detail.

But just a fancy tool or object isn't going to have any special purpose, in my opinion, unless it is hand crafted by the individual him/herself or specifically for the person who will use it.

Well I think that tools like that would be kind of nice to have, but they are by no means nessecary. Having expensive and over the top tools such as a diamond edged Athame can take away the spirituality of it and you need to be careful about such things. Though in another point of veiw, someone might be spiritualy attatched to diamond, as I am to soap stone, and having tools that your spiritually attatched to can increase your power.

Over the top tools are not needed, but I feel the more you like your tool, even if it is over the top, you'll connect better with it. That's my opinion, though.

I have a wand and three objects that I usually use to mark the corners for earth, fire, and water. I use whatever I can find in my room for air, though just because I lost my feather I used to use the first week I started practicing Wicca the day after I did my first spell.