Birthstone Month:
Rose Quartz is associated with the birthstone month of January.

Zodiac:
Rose Quartz is associated with the zodiac signs of Taurus and Libra.

Chemical Symbol:
SiO2

Chemical Make-up:
Rose Quartz is a Silicon Dioxide and a macrocrystalline variety of the Quartz family. The color of Rose Quartz has long been a subject of debate, with a number of different impurities believed to be the reason including Titanium, Manganese, and Colloidal Gold. Recent Studies have now proved through micro-analytical methods that the color of massive Rose Quartz is dude to microscopic mineral fibers. The rare transparent Rose Quartz crystals owe their color to Aluminum and Phosphorous impurities.

History & Lore:
There is not 100% agreement regarding the exact origins of the name Quartz, but the two most widely accepted opinions are that the word Quartz is derived from the Greek 'krystallos', meaning “ice”, or the German 'quarz'.

Some of the earliest primitive tools fashioned by man some 2.5 million years ago, and discovered in the Omo valley in Ethiopia were made of Quartz. It is believed that Quartz was used because of its hardness and isotropic brittleness that made the fashioning of the tools relatively easy.

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.

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.

South Dakota adopted Rose Quartz as its official mineral in 1966.

Rose Quartz is believed to balance the emotions, giving inner peace and harmony. It is said to calm aggression and enhance sensitivity, compassion, patience and forgiveness while increasing self-esteem and self-confidence.

Physically Rose Quartz is believed to help treat depression and assist in weight loss. It can aid in the proper functioning of the kidneys, adrenals, sex organs, liver, lungs and heart. In addition to this, it is believed to increase fertility and protect against radiation.

Availability:
Rose Quartz's pink color is unique in the mineral kingdom, making it a highly desired Quartz variety. Rose Quartz crystals are a rarity. In fact, when they were first discovered they were dismissed as fakes by mineralogist from around the world.

Sources:
There are known deposits of Rose Quartz in Africa, Australia, Canada, England, Germany India, Madagascar, Scotland, and the United States. The first Rose Quartz crystals were found near Rumford, Maine, though today most of the world's supply comes from Brazil.

Evaluation:
Rose Quartz is rated at 7 on the Moh's Scale of Hardness and special care should be taken when wearing it in jewelry as Rose Quartz can chip or crack relatively easily. Rose Quartz is generally opaque to translucent, exhibiting a pale and delicate powder pink color and occasionally a stronger rose-red color. The rare transparent Rose quartz crystals are usually so pale that not much color can be seen except in stones of large sizes.

Occasionally Rose Quartz contains microscopic rutile needles which are oriented in such a way that a star effect is visible, known in the gem trade as an asterism. This optical phenomenon can best be seen when a light source is viewed through the Rose Quartz. These particular gemstones are classified as Rose Cat's Eye Quartz.

Rose Quartz is almost always found as solid masses and rarely occurs in crystals. This remains a scientific mystery because Quartz crystallizes into well formed crystals in all other macrocrystalline varieties, leaving no easily discernible reason why Rose Quartz crystals do not commonly occur.

Common Cuts:
Rose Cat's Eye Quartz are most commonly and almost exclusively cut into cabochons. This is because a tall, round cut is required to maximize the striking Cat's Eye effect most brilliantly.

Routine Enhancements:
There are no known enhancements for Rose Quartz.

Care & Cleaning:
Rose Quartz is generally best cleaned using warm soapy water and a soft brush. Rose Quartz should be handled with care because they can chip or crack relatively easily. Rose Quartz crystals are prone to fading and are best kept away from prolonged exposure to sunlight. As with most gemstones, Rose 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. Rose Quartz jewelry should be kept in a fabric-lined box away from other jewelry items in order to avoid scratching.