Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

Rose quartz is typically a cloudy translucent pink or slightly peach color. The violet of amethyst, either light or dark, is close to pink on the color wheel, and makes for a lovely two-color scheme set in silver. For a beautifully cool split-complementary color scheme, match rose quartz with grass-green peridot and frosty blue-green amazonite. For a light and airy look, mix rose quartz with sparkling clear quartz.

Rose quartz came to be known as the stone of love and reconciliation from the Greek myth about Aphrodite and Adonis. Their blood was commingled when Aphrodite was cut by a thorn bush while saving Adonis from an attack by Ares (disguised as a wild boar). Their blood stained white quartz to make it a rose-pink color. Later, it became customary for the Romans to use the stone as a gift of love.

Rose quartz is associated with love, the heart and beauty, and is thought to be a healing aid for the heart chakra. Imbalances of this chakra have been said to cause colds, allergies and psychosomatic illnesses. When in balance, the heart chakra is thought to make one open to love and compassion. Some believe that rose quartz has calming effects and helps people develop strong friendships.

Quartz includes a large group of minerals based on silicon dioxide. Rose quartz is a macrocrystalline form, as are amethyst, aventurine and citrine. It is a milky pink color, often crackled. It is found mainly in large clumps. Only rarely is it found in single crystal form. It is believed that the pink color is due to a small amount of titanium.

Rose quartz is found in pegmatite, a course-grained igneous rock (usually granite). Transparent rose quartz is rare, but is found where the best material comes from: Madagascar. The stone is found in quantity in Brazil, but also is known from Colorado, Scotland and in the former USSR.