History and origin of Quartz

Quartz is considered the second most common mineral on the earth.  The most common mineral in case you are interested is Feldspar which in part produces Moonstone.  However, not all quartz is gem quartz.  Gem quartz includes many varieties of wonderful gemstones that vary in color and are extremely attractive.  It should be noted that quartz gemstones are usually the most affordable by carat. 

Quartz is created from silicon dioxide.  It is found in almost every type of rock within the earth’s crust.  However, most quartz gemstones are usually found within cavities and lava veins that are near or include hydrothermal centers.  Pegmatite’s are also a common spot to find quartz.

Some of the most famous varieties of quartz are Amethyst, Citrine, Agate and Onyx.  It should be noted that there are two main types of gem quartz.  They include either larger crystals that are usually translucent to transparent and can come in a wonderful varieties of colors.  These types of gem quartz are coarsely crystalline.  They include Amethyst and Citrine.  The other types of quartz are created from crystals, but extremely small crystals which can not be seen with the naked eye.  They have a grainy texture, but do come in beautiful colors.  Two types of grainy or cryptocrystalline quartz are Onyx and Agate.

Gem quartz’s have been known to man since the beginning of time and have had mystical, medicinal and magical attributes associated with them from time to time.  Usually these attributes included the ability to ward off evil or disease.

What is Quartz used for?

Quartz is the second most common mineral found within the earth’s crust.  While common Quartz is found in practically every region of the globe, gem quartz which is known to produce beautiful and rare precious stones are found in a few regions.  Quartz is made from silicon dioxide and it can be found in almost any type of rock type.  Because quartz and gem Quartz are fairly common items, they are used in many ways.  For instance, gem quartz comes in many varieties and includes wonderful precious stones such as Amethyst, Citrine, Jasper, Agate, Onyx, Sardonyx and Chert.

Quartz is also used for many industrial items such as TV tuners, radio receivers, watches and other types of electronic devices.  Because quartz doesn’t have a center of symmetry, it is able to resonate at a specific frequency which is highly useful in the field of electronic engineering.

For the most part, there are two different types of gem Quartz’s; they are large crystal quartz and very small crystal quartz.  Large quartz, are stones in which you can see the crystal growth and are usually translucent to transparent.  These stones include most notably Amethyst and Citrine.  Amethyst usually comes in beautiful purple and violet colors.  Citrine is known for its beautiful yellow colors.

Grainy or small crystal gem Quartz are materials that have crystal structures that can’t be seen by the naked eye.  They are usually opaque in appearance.  Notable grainy or cryptocrystalline gem quartz includes Agate and Onyx.

For jewelry buyers, Quartz is one of the best stones to choose when buying jewelry, they are extremely beautiful and perfect for being set in a ring, for bracelets, earrings and for charms.