Rose quartz is associated with unconditional love—and it’s pink. What more can you ask for? Here’s a look at the science and lore behind this beautiful mineral.
Why Quartz Has Color
How do crystals grow? Quartz is naturally a clear mineral. The colors come from impurities in the quartz. The primary cause of color is titanium. This variety is most often translucent and cloudy rather than fully transparent, which helps give it a soft, glowing appearance. Here are some other popular quartz varieties:
- SMOKY QUARTZ – pale brown to black
- CITRINE – yellow
- AMETHYST – pale mauve to deep violet
- AVENTURINE – most common in green
- TIGER’S EYE – golden to red-brown
Fun Facts About This Pink Quartz
- This is the state mineral of South Dakota.
- Garnet is the primary birthstone for January; however, rose quartz is the secondary January birthstone.
- This is the stone for a fifth wedding anniversary.
- Rose quartz is associated with the heart chakra.
Why This Stone Is Linked to Love
Love doesn’t have to be sappy and romantic. Yeah, people do sometimes view rose quartz in that way, but it’s more than that. Lots of people believe in the powerful properties of stones. Rose quartz is said to help its bearer with compassion, kindness and feeling good about oneself. Those are qualities we can all use!
A bonus is that it is also said to bring about calm and ease stress and anxiety. If you’re rock collecting for kids, maybe it’s the perfect stone to keep in your pocket on test and exam days!
A Long History of Beauty Rituals
Through the ages, rose quartz has been said to bring beauty.
It has been found on face masks in ancient Egyptian tombs. Isis, the Egyptian goddess of life, is said to have used rose quartz as she scrubbed her face each day. She hunted the Nile River for the stones and rubbed them on her cheeks and around her eyes.
In ancient Rome, people did the same thing and rubbed it around their eyes and cheeks to restore tired skin and reduce wrinkles.
Today, this practice continues as you can go down any store’s beauty aisle and find rose quartz face rollers for sale.
Rose Quartz Legends & Myths
One day, as Adonis was hunting, he was attacked by a boar. Aphrodite went to help Adonis. She cut herself on a thorn, and it caused her to bleed. As she held a dying Adonis in her arms, their blood mixed and fell on nearby clear quart,z staining it a pinkish red. Legend says this was the beginning of rose quartz and also its connection with love.
Cupid is also said to have brought rose quartz to the world to spread love.
ROSE QUARTZ AT A GLANCEMohs Hardness: 7 |
This Rock & Gem Kids column previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Pam Freeman.
