Although quartz is a very common gem and is not as valuable as other gemstones, its beauty has earned it a place in the world of jewelry. In fact, many people wear them not only as a jewel but also as amulets, since healing and metaphysical properties are attributed to them.
Best of all, quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on earth, which is why it is present in all parts of the world. So it is not uncommon for it to be a stone that almost everyone is familiar with. However, despite the fact that quartz has a long history, tradition and uses, there are some interesting facts about it that many of us are still unaware of. Join us to discover some.
What is quartz?
Technically speaking, quartz is a crystalline form of silica that consists of one part silicon and two parts oxygen, so it is also known as silicon dioxide (SiO 2). Quartz itself is a colorless mineral that can be transparent or opaque. It has the peculiarity that when other minerals grow with it, the color can change.
Where does your name come from?
The name ‘quartz’ is believed to be derived from the German term ‘quarz’, which probably originated from Slavic and Polish words meaning ‘hard’.
However, there are those who believe that the name quartz actually comes from the Greek word “krystallos”, which means ice. As the ancient Greeks are said to have believed that quartz crystal was a form of fossilized ice. Perhaps the high thermal conductivity of quartz, which makes the gemstone feel cool to the touch, may have contributed to this belief.
On the other hand, quartz is often referred to as the ice of the gods and it was believed that a person could quench their thirst by holding a quartz crystal in their mouth.
Quartz have a unique electrical property
Quartz have a unique electrical property called piezoelectric, according to which they develop positive and negative charges on the alternate edges of the prism when subjected to pressure or tension. The loads are proportional to the pressure change.
Due to this property, quartz crystals are used in electronic devices to convert mechanical stress into electricity and vice versa. In fact, today’s watches use quartz crystal to keep accurate time. Quartz crystals have the ability to maintain a precise frequency standard that helps regulate the movement of quartz watches.
Types of quartz that exist
Pure quartz, traditionally called rock crystal or clear quartz, is colorless and transparent or translucent, and has often been used for hard stone carvings. However, various impurities are responsible for the wide range of colors in quartz, but there are basically two types of quartz: cryptocrystalline (or microcrystalline) and macrocrystalline.
Cryptocrystalline refers to the group of quartz materials that formed with a microscopic crystalline structure. This matrix includes: the agate family; all varieties of chalcedony such as carnelian, chrysocolla, chrysoprase and sarda; flint and flint; all jaspers ; and quartz pseudomorphs, such as petrified wood.
While macrocrystalline quartz refers to crystals that are visible to the naked eye and includes: amethyst, citrine, smoky, rose quartz, prase, rock crystal, ametrine, tiger’s eye, hawk’s eye, aventurine, and ferruginous quartz.
However, while other forms of quartz also produce significant gemstones, amethyst and citrine are the most popular and valuable gem varieties of quartz.
quartz colors
Quartz comes in virtually all colors. Common colors are clear, white, gray, violet, yellow, brown, black, pink, green, red.
Major quartz producers
China, Japan and Russia are the main producers of quartz in the world. Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, France, Germany, South Africa, and the United Kingdom also mine significant amounts of the ore.
Quartz Jewelry Care and Handling
Although quartz has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, you must be careful to avoid scratches and hard knocks. Some types of quartz can fade in the sun, so it’s best to store your quartz jewelry in a separate box when not in use.
On the other hand, it is easy to clean your quartz rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets, it only requires warm water and a dry cloth.
The most famous quartz
Chrysoprase, the brilliant apple-green translucent chalcedony, was a favorite of Frederick the Great of Prussia. It can be seen today decorating many buildings in Prague, including the Chapel of Saint Wenceslas.
Fine amethysts feature in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. In times past, amethyst was a favorite stone in the high ranks of the Christian church, hence it was called «the stone of bishops».
One of the finest known pieces of rock crystal is the 12.75-inch-diameter, 107-pound flawless “crystal ball” in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
Quartz is one of the first gems to be synthetically grown on a large scale. The great development during the Second World War allowed the commercial supply of crystals for radios. Today, synthetic quartz is widely used in the electronics industry.
The largest quartz sphere
The largest quartz sphere has a diameter of 157.16 cm (5 ft 1.8 in) and is owned by Minas Brazil Stones. The record was verified by expert witnesses in Dallas, Texas, USA, on March 9, 2018. The sphere weighs approximately 12,000 lb (5,450 kg) and was formed from a quartz specimen mined in Bahia, Brazil.
The largest crystal skull in the world
The world’s largest crystal skull it is made of quartz. Aptly nicknamed Colossus but also known as Akator or Papa, it is a modern example created by the celebrated Brazilian crystal skull carver Leandro from a single block of Brazilian smoky quartz, and weighs 158 kg (348 lb), roughly the same weight than a sumo wrestler.
The metaphysical aspects of quartz
Quartzes are metaphysically the most powerful of all crystals. It is used for protection against all negative energy. They are believed to be a great healing tool, strengthening all of the body’s systems, and are also believed to eliminate pain.
It is also said to be particularly effective for chronic fatigue, arthritis, bone injuries, depression, fibromyalgia, and intestinal problems.
On the other hand, quartz is also said to be a channeler and is extremely beneficial for amplifying energy, inspiration, creativity, concentration and meditation. Not to mention that it is the stone of the crown chakra and aids the third eye in the clarity of psychic vision.