quartz crystals

Shape

Quartz is an extremely hard and resilient mineral, resistant to scratches on glass or most metal objects. Harder than diamond, more resilient to scratching than feldspar and other silicate minerals and more scratch-proof than its competitors like feldspar; quartz lacks cleavage but may be cracked under sudden shocks or pressure.

Quartz crystal has long been prized as an ornament and for divination, dowsing, timekeeping and as a timepiece. Ancient Greeks called it Krystallos. Quartz is also often associated with February birthstones due to being its traditional birthstone for that month.

Quartz is a common vein- and cavity-filling mineral in rocks through which silica-rich waters have passed, as well as chert seams and nodules in granitic pegmatites. Microscopic quartz crystals form the basis for gems such as flint, jasper and onyx.

Color

Quartz crystals come in an assortment of colors due to impurities or structural defects within their lattice structure, most commonly amethyst, citrine and smoky quartz.

Amethyst is a deep purple stone with magical properties; it promotes peace and clarity of thought, as well as spiritual development. Citrine, on the other hand, is known to increase prosperity; its transparent to golden yellow color sparks imagination while amplifying personal will power for manifestation.

Smoky carnelian or hematite quartz is a variety of cryptocrystalline smoky quartz with translucent to milky luster that features light and dark zones as a result of past growth history. Additionally, certain specimens exhibit what is known as “phantom effect”, where ghostly or invisible crystals appear within it.