the appearance of a star with six rays caused by the refraction of the light against a delicate network of inclusions in the stone. Aside from the harmonious smoothness of the shape, what makes these stones impressive is that only the rose quartz that is cut this way has a chance of displaying asterism, i.e. While it was often used for beads, rose quartz properties really get to shine when it is cut into cabochons. We’ve already mentioned figurines and other ornaments, but you can also often find rose quartz in the form of polished tumbled stones, often accompanied by other minor gemstones like aquamarine. Its abundance and the fact that it can come in rather large formations makes rose quartz a rather versatile stone in terms of the cuts you can choose from. This stone can be found all over the world, with major deposits being in Madagascar, India, South Africa, and Brazil. The stone was ascribed with magical properties by these cultures, with some even believing it could counteract the effects of aging.ĭespite the fact that it is relatively easy to synthesize rose quartz, the stone is so accessible and cheap that synthesizing it simply doesn’t make sense, meaning that you are highly unlikely to come across a piece of fake rose quartz. The Assyrians seem to be the next culture to prominently feature this stone in their craftsmanship, and they are probably responsible for the fact that the stone later became highly valued among Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians. They are believed to be a remnant of the Mesopotamian culture and have been dated all the way back to 7000 BC. The oldest recorded pieces of jewelry containing these stones were beads found in present-day Iraq. While it is difficult to find larger pieces of enviable clarity, smaller ones are relatively abundant. Ranging from barely perceptible rosy coloration to deep, rich pink, rose quartz is usually at least somewhat hazy, although translucent and transparent stones are not exactly a rarity. Also known as crystalline rose quartz, this variety is somewhat rarer, and characterized by greater clarity. To avoid confusion, it is also necessary to mention the existence of pink quartz, which often forms in smaller crystals, and which seems to owe its color to aluminum and phosphates. It is believed that the stone owes its beautiful color to the presence of manganese, iron, and titanium, but other research suggests that the specific coloration is caused by delicate fibers of borosilicate which has since been dubbed dididumortierite. However, this is not the only possible method of formation, as this mineral can also be found in hydrothermal veins. Like other types of quartz, most rose quartz is formed through the process of magma crystallization, making magmatic pegmatites the primary source of larger rose quartz crystals.
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