Rose Quartz - see here
Rose quartz is a variety of the wide gemological group of quartzes. It is a mineral that is composed of silica or silicon dioxide and usually contains some inclusions of other elements such as phosphorus, causing the change of color in the gems. It belongs to the group of macrocrystalline quartzes, has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale and is found in all types of rocks: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary.
Quartz is one of the most abundant groups of gems that exists on earth, and many of its variations are among the most used within the current jewelry market. In this article we want to delve into this huge family of gems, seeking to be a guide of basic guidelines for all those who yearn to obtain a jewel and recognize the authenticity of rose quartz.
Several years ago I discovered the perfect way to impact my personal image. For a long time, I combined clothes with shoes and bags in the same shade and almost always wore the same pair of earrings. I constantly wondered what was the best way to highlight my look and stand out from the rest, I always wondered why I couldn't differentiate myself, I felt that I always looked similar.
On one occasion, I entered a store attracted by a beautiful dress that was in the showcase, it was white with a very fine print in various pastel tones. Upon entering, a girl approached me and introduced herself as an expert in fashion consulting, she told me that she was in charge of guiding the entire purchasing process and told me about how to best highlight any outfit. So fascinated by the invitation, I decided to let myself be guided.
I put on the dress and it looked perfectly, I tried on high shoes that made me look more stylized, and while I already felt powerful enough to look at myself in the mirror, everything changed the moment she put on my neck a necklace made of rose quartz.
While she was adjusting it, she explained to me how jewels, especially those with natural gems, provide versatility and sophistication even to the simplest look, and thanks to the delicacy of the pink color, it is perfect in both light and dark skins.
That day I decided to take the dress along with the necklace home. And from that moment on, not only did I learn that jewelry has a high impact on our image; but i realized that in my personal collection, accessories made with natural stones can't be missing.
Millions of years ago, in the depths of the earth, and thanks to different natural phenomena such as pressure, temperature and the mixture of different elements, a diversity of gems was generated that are now classified by color, shape, quality and other aspects.
The human being has always felt the need to treasure different objects as a symbol of power, status or as a longing or recognition towards some person or event. The ornamentation and the precious stones are not foreign to this feeling and several historical antecedents endorse it.
The quartz, is an abundant gem that has similar physical properties; it is presented to us in a wide spectrum of colors. Many are quite economic, which makes it a versatile stone and quite recognized in the market, allowing us to obtain many jewels of great quality to an accessible price.
From the beginning of history, jewels have accompanied humanity. It is known that in the Persian, Phoenician, Roman and Egyptian civilizations, goldsmithing was already conceived for ornamentation, and incrustations of precious stones, including quartz, played an important role in these pieces.
At that time, jewelry was associated with religious rites and funerary ceremonies. The shamans of these tribes believed in the power that these stones gave them to communicate with their ancestors. They were also displayed by warriors as symbols of superiority or divine descent, as well as being a distinctive hierarchy within the social class ladder.
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Quartz has a transparent-to-opaque appearance and has a vitreous luster. Some of its specimens produce optical effects such as asterism (light reflections that cross each other, forming a "star") and cat's eye. The most common colors found in the extractions are white and transparent, however, there are also many deposits of rose quartz.
Quartz Group
Quartz is divided into two large groups
Macrocrystalline quartz that is the variety that forms a single crystal and is recognized by the naked eye. In this group we highlight the Amethyst stone, Rose Quartz, Tiger Eye among others.
And micro-crystalline quartz or also called cryptocrystalline which is composed of a grouping of tiny crystals that look like a solid mass, among which we highlight: the agate stone, chrysoprase, cornelian etc..
Quartz Name and Meaning
There are several versions on the etymology and meaning of the word "quartz". One of the theories suggests that it comes from a German dialect Quarz, which could mean "rock crystal", others argue that it comes from a Slavic word meaning "hardness" and a third theory indicates that it is derived from the ancient Greek word "Krystallos" meaning crystal and this is because the Greeks believed for a long time, that quartz was deep-frozen ice and that there was no longer any way for it to thaw.
According to various researches, the word "Quarz" appeared written for the first time in the hands of George Baver (Georgius Agricola - Translation of his name) German mineralogist who developed and wrote many principles of metallurgy and mining.
Meaning of pink color
Pink is associated with femininity and childhood. It gives us sensations of tenderness, delicacy and innocence.
The lighter the intensity of the pink color, the more we associate it with sensations and children's events. While the stronger and deeper, it will give us a feeling of strength without leaving aside the delicacy.
Rose quartz is one of the most sought-after gems precisely because its color is presented to us in different ranges and intensities. The colors of this gem range from the palest pink to a vivid and uniform pink. Sometimes the color can be found in different zones within the gem.
Rose quartz normally presents inclusions and cloudiness, so it is very rare to find a transparent rose quartz. However, it has been found in some parts of the world, logically increasing the value of this gem.
Some gemologists call transparent rose quartz "Pink Quartz" instead of simply "Rose Quartz" and this is because the origins of tonality are different. In Spanish there is no name differentiation, normally the difference is made by explaining its transparent aspect and that its value increases.
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When we look closely at this gem, we know that its characteristic color is due to small traces of other elements such as titanium, iron or manganese. Recent studies indicate that there are microscopic and very fine formations of dumortierite or other similar minerals within the gem, which could mean that this also causes its pink color.
There are two varieties of rose quartz. There is massive rose quartz (or macrocrystalline) which is the most common category. Its tonality can be quite intense and milky. This color is quite stable to changes in temperature and light and sometimes has some white bands and internal fractures that we must take into account, because this can weaken the gem, especially if they are going to be used in jewelry as gem-setting material.
This kind of massive quartz is widely used for the manufacture of decorative pieces, boxes, paperweights among other designs.
Also, we can find good material that turns into cabochons, but in very few occasions a clean, uniform and defect-free carved gem can be achieved. Because of its scarcity, this material is usually more expensive than others, especially those with stronger and deeper tones that tend to be of a "peach pink" tone, a tone that is highly valued by both jewelers and collectors.
It is possible to find rose quartz with optical effect of asterism, commonly called "starry", and this is due to small inclusions of rutile. If this gem possesses a good intense color, it could reach a quite high value in the market.
There is another variety of this mineral called "Crystalline Rose Quartz" or "Rose Quartz in Crystals" that is presented in a very small form causing them to be very difficult to cut them, but very striking to collect them.
According to some studies, its color is due to the presence of phosphorus and aluminum. However, in this variety of rose quartz, the tonality is very sensitive to changes in temperature and light, making the color a little inconsistent.
Reservoirs
Quartz, being quite common, is found in different places around the world. The first recorded deposits were in the United States. However, it is in the territory of Brazil where we find the largest amount of mining of this gem. There are also other deposits in Namibia, Madagascar, India and Spain.
Originally Post " Cuarzo Rosa: Símbolo de Delicadeza″
Translated by Oscar Moreno
