Description
Rose quartz, also known as the "Stone of Love," is a variety of quartz. Its color ranges from deep pink to a very light, translucent pink. Rose quartz, named for its pink hue, often exhibits fractures and is usually somewhat cloudy. The color is caused by the presence of titanium and manganese and can fade. Very fine rutile needles can create a six-rayed star in cabochon-cut stones. Rose quartz has been used as a gemstone for centuries. The finest rose quartz comes from Madagascar. Rose quartz with a cat's-eye effect is found in Sri Lanka, but also in Kenya, Mozambique, and Namibia. Brazil has numerous deposits; rose quartz was discovered in Minas Gerais in 1959. Some Brazilian rose quartz exhibits a cat's-eye effect or asterism. In the United States, rose quartz is found in Maine, California, South Dakota, and Colorado, with asterism in specimens from New York and Georgia. Russia, Kazakhstan, India, and Japan are also sources of rose quartz. It is rare for rose quartz weighing more than 20 carats to be faceted. A 625-carat rose quartz sphere with asterism is on display at the American Museum of Natural History.
