DigMyGem Gem encyclopedia

Rose Quartz

Quartz & Crystal Family

Rose quartz is a pale-to-medium pink variety of quartz. Most material is massive and cloudy, with microscopic aligned mineral fibers contributing its color and translucence.

Identity

Material or variety
Quartz
Scientific or material identity
Quartz
Classification
Natural mineral or mineral variety
Composition or formula
SiO₂
Crystal system or structure
Trigonal
Geological or manufacturing origin
Can form in more than one geological environment, or combines several materials.
Mohs hardness
7
Specific gravity
2.65

Origins

Brazil · Madagascar · Mozambique · Myanmar · Sri Lanka

Appearance & optical properties

soft blush-pink translucent quartz with milky veils.

History & discovery

Its name refers directly to its rose-pink color. Rose quartz beads from Mesopotamia date to about 7000 BCE, and Assyrian craftspeople made rose quartz jewelry around 800–600 BCE.

Uses & care

Common uses
Rose quartz is fashioned into beads and jewelry, polished as decorative objects, and carved into small figures and ornaments.
Handling and cleaning
Clean it with warm soapy water and avoid ultrasonic or steam cleaners. Rose quartz is generally stable in ordinary light and heat, but it should still be protected from sharp knocks and abrasion.

Jewellery

7 pieces of Rose Quartz jewellery. Learners earn each one in DigMyGem by learning words; until then it shows as a silhouette.

  • Silhouette of Aurora Heart Pendant

    Aurora Heart Pendant

    Pendant

    A heart-shaped pendant cut from a single polished rose quartz, imagined as a token of first love. Its stone keeps the soft pink haze that gives rose quartz its name.

  • Silhouette of Blush Tiara

    Blush Tiara

    Tiara

    An imagined bridal tiara, since rose quartz is the gem of the fifth wedding anniversary. Each scroll ends in a milky pink stone.

  • Silhouette of Star of First Light Ring

    Star of First Light Ring

    Ring

    Rose quartz can show a six-rayed star when light crosses its fine needle-like inclusions. This ring is built to show that star.

  • Silhouette of Rosewater Bead Bracelet

    Rosewater Bead Bracelet

    Bracelet

    A single strand of polished rose quartz beads closed with a small silver clasp. The milky pink stones look like drops of rosewater.

  • Silhouette of Carved Peony Brooch

    Carved Peony Brooch

    Brooch

    An imagined brooch of a peony carved from one piece of rose quartz, a stone often used for carvings. It sits in a gold leaf frame edged with seed pearls.

  • Silhouette of First Blush Garland Necklace

    First Blush Garland Necklace

    Necklace

    An imagined garland necklace of carved rose quartz flowers, made for a fifth wedding anniversary, the stone's traditional gift. Pink sapphires and diamonds fill the hearts of the flowers.

  • Silhouette of Rose Quartz Egg

    Rose Quartz Egg

    Jewel

    A Fabergé clock egg by workmaster Michael Perkhin, shaped as a pink quartz vase holding a bouquet of chalcedony lilies on gold stems. It was made for a private client in St Petersburg and stands on a black onyx base set with gold and diamonds reading 1899.

Sources