Hardness: 7.00
Refractive Index: 1.54-1.55
Specific Gravity: 2.65
Birthstone: April.
Astral Stone: Pisces, Leo, Capricorn
Anniversary Stone: 15th
Origination: Worldwide. Until recently, Brazil & Madagascar were considered the most important sources for quartz crystal, but recent finds have been inconsistent and these two areas are now considered unreliable.
Care & Cleaning: Clean with a soft polishing cloth, plain water rinse mild solution of soap & water or commercial jewelry cleaner. Do not soak.
Fiction, Facts & Folklore:
Astrologers often connect quartz crystal with the planet Venus.
Quartz crystal is the colorless variety of the quartz mineral group.
Quartz crystal is also known in the gem world as �rock crystal�.
Large, clear crystals from Russia have recently surfaced at retail.
Rhinestones are actually small pebbles of quartz crystal, found in the Rhine River. They are faceted and backed with a white metal to capture their brilliance.
Today, quartz crystal is most often seen at retail in bead form or fashioned into objects of art such as small bowls and vases.
Quartz crystal was first found in the Swiss Alps. Ancient prospectors believed they were formed from ice crystals sent from the heavens that would never melt.
Because of this, quartz crystal was attributed with great cooling powers.
The earliest crystal balls were actually carved of quartz crystal.