PINK OR ROSE QUARTZ
Rose quartz is one of the many quartz varieties used as a gem material. It gets its name from its delicate pink color, which ranges from very light (almost white) to medium-dark. Curiously, the cause of the color of rose quartz is still not completely understood – it is believed to be due to iron and titanium impurities. It has also been speculated that the color is due to several different minor impurities present in the rose quartz including manganese and even colloidal gold. Rose quartz belongs to the macrocrystalline quartz family which, as the name suggests, has large crystals. Among the macrocrystalline quartzes, rose quartz is somewhat unusual due to its unique translucent milky color. It is because of its endearing coloring that rose quartz is often used for beads, cabochons, carvings, and architectural purposes.
It may be translucent or transparent, with a vitreous luster, although most pieces are fairly opaque. There is also a variety called strawberry rose quartz, and many of these are deeper colored stones, as well as some lighter very beautiful orangey-pink stones.
Rose quartz is always found in massive form, so it lacks regular, flat crystal faces. It’s typically found in pegmatites but also occurs in hydrothermal veins. Research has shown that rose quartz owes its delicate pink color to microscopic inclusions of aligned silicate mineral fibers. The fibers likely crystallized out as the host gem cooled, and they’re aligned according to the crystal directions of the pink quartz. Deposits of rose quartz have been found in Madagascar, India, Japan, and Brazil, as well as in South Africa and South Dakota in the USA.
Besides the typical cloudy rose quartz, which is colored by inclusions, there’s a type of transparent quartz that owes its pink color to a different mechanism. It is called “pink quartz.” Compared to rose quartz, it’s exceptionally rare. It might occur as beautiful clusters of transparent, well-formed crystals. The finest examples are from Brazil.
Rose quartz is a powerful healing crystal emitting a strong vibration of unconditional love, joy, warmth, and emotional healing while it is believed that it activates the heart chakra and intuitive centers of the body. It’s believed to balance the emotions, thus giving inner peace and harmony, and to enhance someone’s capacity to love others and himself and one's sensitivity to beauty and art.
Rose quartz is accepted as one of the birthstones for the month of January.
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