The Charm of Rose Quartz
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| Rose Quartz Carving |
Rose Quartz Rough |
Rose quartz belongs to the macrocrystalline quartz family, which also includes rock crystal, amethyst, citrine and smoky quartz. Macrocrystalline quartz, as the name suggests, has large crystals which can be distinguished by the naked eye. This type of quartz is mainly transparent to translucent, with a vitreous luster. But among the macrocrystalline quartzes, rose quartz is somewhat unusual due to its unique translucent milky color.
Rose quartz ranges in color from a very pale pink to a rose red hue. The color is believed to be due to trace amounts of titanium, iron, or manganese, though the chemistry of this quartz is not yet fully understood.
Some rose quartz contains microscopic rutile needles which produces an asterism in transmitted light. If rutile needles are present in the rose quartz then a star effect or asterism is sometimes seen. The star can often be seen by looking at a light through the rose quartz, as well as when a focussed light is directed at the gem from above.
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| Faceted Rose Quartz |
Star Rose Quartz |
Rose Quartz Briolette |
Rose quartz is used both as an ornamental stone and as a gemstone. It is also often cited as an alternate birthstone for the month of January. You will find rose quartz of good color cut as cabochons, and some of the more transparent material may be faceted. Rose quartz is also a very attractive ornamental stone and is carved into spheres, figurines and ornate statues.
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| Rose Quartz Cabochon |
Rose quartz is found in Madagascar, India, Germany, South Africa and several localities in the USA. Large quantities of rose quartz were extracted from a famous site near Custer, South Dakota, but now most of the worlds supply of good quality rose quartz comes from Brazil.
Rose quartz is a gemstone with a rich history of lore. Due to its soft color, it has long been regarded as a soothing, calming crystal that promotes love and healing. It helps to clear negative emotions such as jealousy, anger and fear, and also eases heartache and psychic traumas. Placing a rose quartz under your pillow at night is said to promote peaceful sleep and creative inspiration.
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