Rose Quartz, Meaning, Properties, and Facts

What is rose quartz

Rose quartz is the pink variety of quartz, and most of it grows massive: cloudy pink rock with no crystal faces. For decades its color was blamed on titanium or manganese. In 2001, mineralogists at Caltech showed it comes from microscopic fibers of a pink borosilicate mineral related to dumortierite, and the same fibers scatter light and make the stone hazy. In some pieces, oriented inclusions produce a six-rayed star when the stone is cut as a dome.

Rose quartz properties

Rose quartz properties are standard quartz values, while the haze and the color come from the fibers (gem data in GIA's rose quartz description):

Where rose quartz is found

Rose quartz is found in granite pegmatites, where it often forms the core of the pegmatite body. Brazil and Madagascar are major sources. In the United States, the Black Hills of South Dakota are the classic locality, and rose quartz is South Dakota's state mineral. Namibia and India produce it too.

Rose quartz crystals and other pink stones

Rose quartz crystals with real faces are rare, and they are a different material: their pink comes from natural radiation acting on aluminum and phosphorus in the quartz, and it fades in light. Brazil is the best-known source. Other pink stones get confused with rose quartz. Pink amethyst grows as sparkly points in geodes, kunzite is pink spodumene that fades quickly in sunlight, and pink opal is softer and waxier.

How to tell if rose quartz is real

How to tell if rose quartz is real starts with the haze: natural rose quartz is cloudy, soft pink and a little uneven, with tiny cracks and veils inside. Pink glass is too clear and too even and shows round bubbles under a loupe. Dyed quartz puts its color in the cracks, where it looks darker, and bright candy pink is a warning sign. Real rose quartz scratches glass and feels cool in the hand, while resin feels warm and light.

Rose quartz care: water and sun

Rose quartz care is easy: it can go in water, it is 7 on the Mohs scale, and mild soap and a soft brush will not hurt it. Sun is the only caution. Massive rose quartz is fairly stable, but some pieces pale after long, direct sun, and the rare crystals fade fast, so a bright windowsill is the wrong place for it. See crystals that fade in the sun.

Rose quartz meaning and benefits

Rose quartz meaning and benefits, in crystal lore, are all about love, from romance to self-acceptance. That is belief, not chemistry. Sellers often tie it to Aphrodite and Adonis, but the old versions of that myth are about anemones and red roses, not a stone. The stone's own record is geological: it is a state mineral, and the cause of its color took mineralogists until 2001 to pin down.

Rose quartz for sale

Rose 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.

Rose Quartz FAQ

Will rose quartz fade in the sun?

Some rose quartz will pale in the sun over months of exposure, and crystalline rose quartz fades much faster than the common massive kind.

Is rose quartz water safe?

Rose quartz is water safe: it is 7 on the Mohs scale and does not dissolve or soften.

Why is rose quartz pink?

Rose quartz is pink because of microscopic fibers of a pink mineral related to dumortierite trapped inside it.

How much is rose quartz worth?

Rose quartz is not expensive as a material, so much of the price comes from depth of color, translucency, size and the quality of any carving or polish.

Sources

• Rose quartz description, GIA
• Rose quartz, Wikipedia
• Quartz, Mindat