Quartz – Harry & Co Jewellery

Etymology and Early Studies

The word 'quartz' is derived from the German word 'Quarz' and has origins in Polish and Czech terms.
Ancient Greeks referred to quartz as 'κρύσταλλος' (krustallos) meaning icy cold.
Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder believed quartz to be water ice and observed its ability to split light.
Nicolas Steno's study of quartz in the 17th century paved the way for modern crystallography.

Quartz belongs to the trigonal and hexagonal crystal systems.
The ideal crystal shape is a six-sided prism with pyramids at each end.
Well-formed crystals typically form as a druse, and quartz geodes are fine examples.
Different types of quartz, such as α-quartz and β-quartz, have chiral crystal structures.

Fibrous quartz, carnelian, aventurine, agate, and onyx are examples of quartz varieties based on microstructure.
Pure quartz, citrine, rose quartz, amethyst, smoky quartz, and milky quartz are examples based on color.
Color variations in quartz arise from impurities that change molecular orbitals.
Chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline form of silica consisting of intergrowths of quartz and moganite.

Blue quartz contains inclusions of fibrous magnesio-riebeckite or crocidolite and is considered a minor gemstone.
Citrine ranges in color from pale yellow to brown and is often heat-treated amethyst or smoky quartz.
Milky quartz is the most common variety and has a white color caused by fluid inclusions.
Rose quartz exhibits a pale pink to rose red hue due to trace amounts of titanium, iron, or manganese.
Smoky quartz is a gray, translucent version of quartz that can range from almost transparent to almost opaque.

Quartz has been used in Australian Aboriginal mythology, European passage tombs, and for stone tools.
The electronics industry relies on quartz crystals.
Quartz can be synthesized, and high-purity quartz crystals are rare and expensive.
Quartz crystals have piezoelectric properties and are used in phonograph pickups, oscillators, and clocks.
Synthetic quartz is primarily used in the electronics industry, while natural quartz is sought after for crystal healing.
Quartz mining can involve primitive methods and child labor in developing countries.
Quartz is used in various industrial applications, including glass production, ceramics, and electronics.
Quartz dust can be harmful to human health and has environmental impacts such as habitat destruction and water pollution.

Reference	URL
Glossary	https://harryandcojewellery.com.au/blogs/glossary/quartz
Wikipedia	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz
Wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q43010
Knowledge Graph	https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/069p0