Rose Quartz Double Terminated Wrapped Point Pendant

QUARTZ (var. ROSE)

HISTORY, NAME, LOCALITIES: Rose quartz, which has been known since antiquity, is the uncommon, pale-pink to rose-red variety of macrocrystalline quartz.  Its name alludes to its color.  Rose quartz is collected in Brazil, Madagascar, India, Germany, South Africa, Namibia, Russia, and the United States (Maine, North Carolina, South Dakota, Colorado).

MINERALOGY, PROPERTIES, OCCURRENCE: The physical properties of rose quartz are the same as those of quartz [silicon dioxide, SiO₂], with the exception of its diagnostic, pale-pink to rose-red colors, the exact causes of which are still uncertain.  Rose quartz that occurs in hydrothermal veins contains inclusions of microscopic, pink crystals of borosilicate minerals; another type of rose quartz occurs in granite pegmatites and owes its color to color centers that form when aluminum and phosphorus replace silicon in the crystal lattice.  Rose quartz usually occurs as translucent, crystalline masses and only rarely as short-to-long, horizontally striated, hexagonal, prismatic crystals with pyramidal terminations and good transparency.  It has a Mohs hardness of 7.0, a conchoidal fracture, a vitreous luster, and a specific gravity of 2.65.

METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES, LORE, USES: According to metaphysical beliefs, rose quartz is a stone of love that helps in all matters related to love, raises self-esteem and feelings of self-worth, relieves stress, and promotes inner peace.  Rose quartz is fashioned into cabochons and decorative objects.