STRAWBERRY QUARTZ GEMSTONE

STRAWBERRY QUARTZ GEMSTONE

Strawberry Quartz derives its name from the Greek word "KRISTALLOS" meaning ICE and Strawberry which is the color of the mineral.

Quartz is of a silicon and oxygen chemical composition. With a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, it is durable enough to be used in all types of jewelry. It is transparent to translucent. The best gemstone quality of Strawberry Quartz is the one that comes in a beautiful strawberry color and is transparent.

Strawberry Quartz has a glass-like luster and a trigonal crystal structure.

Quartz is not only the most common mineral found on earth; it is also the most diverse. It comes in many colors and some contain extraordinary inclusions like Rutile, Actinolite, Goethite, Tourmaline, Gilalite, Pyrite, Iron Oxide and many more. When a transparent quartz comes with these needlelike crystals it is called Sagenitic Quartz. The most well-known variety is the colorless Quartz that contains Golden Rutile or Titanium inclusions. It is called Rutilated Quartz.

Strawberry Quartz contains inclusions of iron oxide which gives it its beautiful reddish pink color like strawberries. It is also known as Red Fire Quartz.

Some inclusions are so small that they can only be seen with a magnifying glass. These stones thus have a uniformly reddish pink like strawberry color. The transparent species of Strawberry Quartz usually occurs with reddish needles, flakes or sprinkles.

It is the various forms of iron oxide from where Strawberry Quartz gets its color. Usually there are four iron oxides which are found in quartz; these are Lepidocrocite, Goethite, Limonite, and Hematite.

There are synthetic strawberry quartz and quartz made of glass that are sold as strawberry quartz. Bubbles within the stone is a distinguishing feature of glass-made quartz.

The synthetic materials are branded and sold as Fruit Quartz which include "cherry quartz," "blueberry quartz," "kiwi quartz," and "pineapple quartz".

Quartz comes in many colors. Most come with inclusions that can be seen without the use of a magnifying glass; Strawberry Quartz being one of them. Here I will list the most well-known colored quartz:

Amethyst: purple/violet

Ametrine: yellow and purple

Citrine: yellow/orange

Rose Quartz: pink

Smoky Quartz: brown

Prasiolite: green

Blue Quartz: blue

Rock Crystal: colorless.

The strawberry quartz brings joy and happiness within itself. It enhances our self-love and gets rid of stress and anxiety. It gives us a more positive outlook, giving us the ability to see the funny side of things, and liberating us from the restrictions that we impose on ourselves.

Strawberry Quartz enables us to live in the NOW. Just like Rose Quartz, Strawberry Quartz too is linked to the heart chakra that resonates love and compassion.

Quartz is a master healer. It is widely used in healing and energy work. It is effective in relieving pain and ease any discomfort of the mind and physical body.

Quartz should be washed or smudged and bathed in moonlight. Colored quartz is prone to tarnish in sunlight. Thus, avoid prolonged exposure in the sun. Store them away from harder gemstones to prevent scratches.

Strawberry quartz deposits are found in Russia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, as well as in Brazil.