One of Earth’s most abundant minerals, Quartz is also one of the most interesting! It makes up about 12% of the Earth's crust, occurring in a wide variety of rocks. The gem varieties of Quartz have been used as gemstones and other ornamental objects for thousands of years.
 

As well as being used for ornaments and gemstones, Quartz is used today in the manufacture of abrasives, concrete, cements, porcelain, paints and glass. It is also used as a chemical raw ingredient in the manufacture of numerous industrial materials. Rock Crystal Quartz is made into lenses and prisms for optical instruments. Due to its electric properties, it is used as a radio component and is utilized in watches and clocks where a tiny Quartz plate is used to control precisely the radio frequency of the electronic circuitry.
 

The Greeks originally named Quartz “Krystallos” meaning “Ice”, but this term was soon applied to any crystal. In fact, the modern name of Quartz is derived from the Saxon word “Querklufterz” meaning “Cross-vein-ore”.
 

Quartz’s influences echo through history stretching thousands of years into the past to the origins of civilization and the first tools made of “Flint”, a variety of Quartz.
 

The ancients of India considered Quartz to have special properties as transformers as well as keepers of energy. To this day Quartz crystals are used universally in meditation, as they are believed to possess healing properties and other diverse metaphysical powers.
 

Folklorists classify Quartz as a receptive gemstone credited with the ability to attract positive energies, such as peace and love. The subtle energy of Quartz is said to balance the emotions, giving inner peace, harmony and enhancing the bonds of relationships. It is also said to calm aggression and increase self-esteem.
 

Macrocrystalline Quartz in which individual crystals are distinguishable with the naked eye. Some of the Macrocrystalline Quartz varieties are Amethyst, Ametrine, Tiger’s Eye, Citrine, Rock Crystal, Rose Quartz, Rutilated Quartz and Smoky Quartz
 

Cryptocrystalline Quartz in which the individual crystals are too small to be easily distinguishable under a 10x loupe. Chalcedony (also spelled Chalcedony) is a catch all term to describe these varieties and includes including Agate (banded varieties), Carnelian (red to reddish brown), Sard (light to dark brown), Chrysoprase (apple green), Bloodstone (green with red spots), Jasper (generally red but sometimes yellow, brown, green and grey blue) and Flint (dull grey to black).
 

Quartz comes from a thousand different locations around the globe. Brazil’s Minas Gerais state is the renowned mining source for Quartz. Southern Africa also yields multiple deposits of good-quality Quartz. Other small global deposits of Quartz varieties are located in U.S.A. (Arkansas), Sri Lanka, Mexico and France. Scientific reports have even revealed that Quartz has even been discovered in rocks taken in lunar explorations.
 

Amethyst is the queen of the Quartz varieties and in better qualities it is the most expensive of the Quartzes. Amethyst ranges from pale to dark violet.
 

Ametrine is a bi-color variety that is part Amethyst colored and part Citrine colored. It was first discovered in Bolivia. Generally Ametrine is cut into octagon or emerald cut shapes to emphasize the two colors. Ametrine has been carved into some very interesting gem art works.
 

Phantom Quartz (also known as Ghost Crystals, Specter Crystals and Shadow Crystals) is an unusual gemstone that exhibits a phenomenon called a “Phantom”. Phantoms can sometimes be seen in the interior of Quartz Crystals as a permanent record of earlier stages in the crystal's formation, much like growth rings in a tree. These phantoms are typically other minerals such as Chlorite, Goethite or Hematite or are other varieties of Quartz (e.g. Smoky Quartz, Citrine, Amethyst etc.). A “Phantom” develops when the growing environment of the crystal changes, causing a color or another visible shift in the crystal. The Quartz Crystal then resumes its crystallization capturing the Phantom Crystal within. Easily recognizable for its characteristic “Phantom”, Phantom Quartz is usually seen in Rock Crystal but is also found in Smoky Quartz, Citrine and Amethyst. Metaphysically, Phantom Quartz is believed by some to foster an understanding of the various stages of life, both past and present.
 

Prasiolite is a confusing gem as it is traded under a variety of names and can easily be mistaken for other gem types. Prasiolite, also known as Vermarine, is quite simply Green Quartz.
 

Rainbow Quartz (including Lavender Quartz, Neptune Quartz, Fuchsia Quartz and Coral Quartz) is visually similar to Mystic Topaz and is produced using the same Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating process. Applied to top quality natural White Quartz, the treatment is permanent with normal wear. Its color is enhanced by the application of a bonded layer coating of fine Titanium atoms. The process is covered by U.S. patent number 5,853,826 for Azotic Coating Technologies Inc. (Founded in 1993). When this oxide treatment falls within certain limits of thickness, the phenomena of optical interference produces colors that vary according to the thickness of the film, creating a flashing rainbow of iridescent colors across the surface of Rainbow Quartz like light moving through a prism. Mysteriously shimmering with a wide variety of scintillating colors, Rainbow Quartz ideally complements today’s fashion trends and is increasingly being used by well-known jewelry designers.
 

Rock Crystal is colorless Quartz.
 

Rose Quartz is the pink variety of Quartz; it is rarely transparent. Facet grade material will usually be a bit "misty" in appearance. Rose Quartz is used extensively for beads, carvings and also as delightful gems in a variety of jewelry settings.
 

Rutile Quartz (also known as Rutilite) is colorless, displaying golden needle like inclusions that appear as long threads forming intriguing natural patterns.
 

Smoky Quartz is brown transparent Quartz of all shades and generally has a slightly grayish cast. Also known as “Champagne on Ice”, Smoky Quartz is an earth toned transparent Quartz that gets it rich warm color from aluminum. A variety of Smoky Quartz is Cairngorm, which owes its name to the legendary source in Scotland. Smoky Quartz is the national gem of Scotland, whose national scepter includes a large Smoky Quartz on its top.
 

Star Quartz is a fascinating gem that clearly displays Asterism (Star Effect) and is either colorless or pink. The stars are six-rayed and roll around the gem as it is moved.
 

Tiger's Eye is simply Chatoyant Quartz.