Quartz is one of the most common minerals on Earth and a true family of stones. Amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, rock crystal, smoky quartz, as well as agate, onyx and jasper – all of them are varieties of quartz.
What it is
Quartz is silicon dioxide – the same substance that sand is made of. A hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale makes it strong and durable, suitable for everyday jewellery. It grows in six-sided crystals with sharp points, and in varieties such as agate it is made of microscopic crystals invisible to the naked eye.
The family
- Rock crystal – colourless and transparent;
- Amethyst – purple;
- Citrine – yellow to golden;
- Rose quartz – soft pink;
- Smoky quartz – brown to almost black;
- Agate, onyx and jasper – with bands, spots and patterns.
Quartz in your watch
Quartz has a special property: under pressure or an electric current the crystal vibrates at an extremely steady frequency. That is why most watches today contain a tiny quartz crystal – hence the "quartz watch".
Symbolism
Quartz is called "the universal crystal". Traditionally it is believed to gather, amplify and balance energy, calm the thoughts and help meditation. It is recommended in combination with other stones because it strengthens their effect.
In jewellery
Thanks to its variety, quartz has a place in every piece of jewellery – from minimalist bracelets of identical beads to necklaces with stones in different colours.
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
