Glam rock.
Aura Quartz, Meaning, Properties, and Facts
Quartz · SiO2Mohs 7 coreMetal coated
Aura quartz is natural quartz coated in a vacuum chamber with an ultra-thin film of metal, usually gold, titanium, platinum or silver. Below: how it is made, angel aura and titanium aura, how to spot it, how to care for the coating and the lore.
What is aura quartz
Aura quartz is natural quartz, usually clear quartz, placed in a vacuum chamber where vaporized metal settles on its surface and bonds to it as a film far thinner than a hair. The method belongs to the family of coating techniques called physical vapor deposition, the same kind used on drill bits, watch parts and camera lenses. The quartz underneath is real. The color is not natural, so honest sellers call it treated or coated quartz.
Aura quartz properties
Aura quartz properties are quartz properties under a metal skin, which changes the surface but not the crystal (quartz data on Mindat):
| Mineral | Quartz with a metal or metal oxide coating |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | SiO2 core; film of gold, titanium, niobium, platinum or silver |
| Color cause | Thin-film light interference and the color of the metal |
| Hardness | 7 on the Mohs scale for the quartz; the film scratches more easily |
| Crystal system | Trigonal (the quartz) |
| Luster | Metallic, iridescent |
| Treatment | Vapor deposition in a vacuum chamber |
| Origin | Natural quartz, coated in a lab |
| Water safe | Brief rinse only; no soaking, salt or soap |
| Sun safe | Yes for true metal coatings |
Angel aura and titanium aura quartz
Angel aura, titanium aura and aqua aura are named for the metals in the film. Aqua aura is coated with gold, which gives a bright sky blue shine. Titanium aura, also sold as rainbow or flame aura, uses titanium and often niobium for metallic rainbow colors. Angel aura, also called opal aura, uses platinum and silver for a pale, pearly shimmer over clear quartz. The rainbow effect is thin-film interference: light reflecting off the top and bottom of the film reinforces some colors and cancels others, as on a soap bubble.
How to tell if aura quartz is real
How to tell if aura quartz is real depends on what you mean by real: the quartz is natural, but the color always comes from a lab. Check chips and the base, where the coating often stops or wears through to colorless quartz. Some cheap pieces are glass, or painted instead of vapor coated; glass shows round bubbles, and paint looks flat and lifts at the edges. A seller who calls the color natural is mistaken, or hoping you are.
Aura quartz care: water and sun
Aura quartz care is about protecting the film. The quartz underneath is 7 on the Mohs scale, but the coating is thin and wears with handling, so store it apart from other crystals and wipe it with a soft, dry cloth. A quick rinse in plain water is fine; skip soaking, salt water, soap, cleaners and ultrasonic baths. Sunlight does not fade a true metal coating, so a window shelf is fine.
Aura quartz meaning and benefits
Aura quartz meaning and benefits, in crystal lore, are borrowed from quartz and from the metal in the coating, so each color is sold with its own story. That is belief, not chemistry. Aura quartz is a modern lab product with no folklore older than the product itself. What it really shows off is physics: a film about as thin as a wavelength of light, splitting white light into color.
Aura quartz for sale
Aura quartz for sale at geoslut arrives in drops of one-of-one pieces, each photographed in daylight and labeled with its mineral and locality, and the list hears first. See quartz for the current drop.
Aura Quartz FAQ
Is aura quartz real or fake?
Aura quartz is real quartz with a lab-made color: the crystal is natural, and the metal film is added in a vacuum chamber.
What is angel aura quartz?
Angel aura quartz is clear quartz coated with platinum and silver, which gives it a pearly rainbow sheen.
Is titanium aura quartz real?
Titanium aura quartz is real quartz coated with titanium, often with niobium, in a vacuum chamber; the rainbow is not natural.
Can aura quartz go in water?
Aura quartz can go in water for a quick rinse, but soaking, salt and cleaners can wear the film.
How much is aura quartz worth?
Aura quartz is worth about as much as the quartz underneath plus the coating, so size, shape and an even, unscratched film set the price.
Sources
- Physical vapor deposition, Wikipedia
- Thin-film interference, Wikipedia
- Quartz, Mindat