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Chipped flint projectile points used for fire-making have been found on Mousterian
sites in western Europe that date back around 40,000 years.
In addition to its use in tool-making, certain varieties of Quartz were used for
divination. Spherical Quartz rock crystals were often shaped into crystal balls
and used for disease diagnosis and awareness of events occurring in distant places.
More recently there was major production of synthetic Quartz during World War II.
This synthetic Quartz was used to supply crystals for radios.
Today, Quartz is not only used for gemstone purposes, but also as a raw chemical
ingredient in the manufacturing of abrasives, cements, concrete, porcelain, glass,
and many other industrial materials.
Because of its piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties, Quartz is commonly used
in the production of watches, clocks, computers, and radios.
Please refer to specific Quartz variety for information regarding metaphysical properties.
Availability:
Quartz is one of the most abundant single minerals on earth - it makes up close
to 12% of the earth's crust, and occurs in a wide variety of igneous, metamorphic
and sedimentary rocks. However, availability differs from one Quartz variety to
the next, and many varieties are in fact classified as rare. Please refer to specific
Quartz variety for more information regarding availability.
Sources:
Quartz deposits occur worldwide.
Evaluation:
Quartz is rated at 6.5 to 7 on the Moh's Scale of Hardness and besides for all of
its practical uses, Quartz is greatly important to the gem trade,
accounting for a vast, diverse population of gemstones that are for the most part
suitable for all jewelry applications.
The family of gemstones offered by Quartz exhibit each
and every color of the spectrum, many of which exhibiting unique attributes that
can match your very own unique individuality. Whether it be the light, pinkish violet
to royal purple of Amethyst, the light lemon yellow to rich orange of Citrine, the
landscape painting appearance of Jasper, the distinctive and extraordinary patterns
of Agate, or the deep opaque black of Black Onyx, they can all be categorized as
the family of Quartz gemstones.
Please refer to specific Quartz variety for further information regarding Evaluation.
Common Cuts:
Quartz can generally be cut into all of the common gemstone shapes/cuts, although
it should be noted that certain Quartz varieties demand a specific shape / cut in
order to display their unique properties and beauty to the fullest extent.
Routine Enhancements:
Quartz is today synthetically grown on a large scale for industrial purposes. Please
refer to specific Quartz variety for more information regarding routine enhancements.
Care & Cleaning:
Quartz varieties are generally best cleaned
using warm
soapy water and a soft brush.
As with most gemstones, Quartz should be kept away from household chemicals and
from prolonged exposure to extremes of heat as this can cause damage or permanent changes in coloration. Quartz should be kept in a fabric-lined
box away from other jewelry items in order to avoid scratching. It is recommended that you refer to
a specific Quartz variety for more information regarding care & cleaning.
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