Smoky Quartz

quartz family

• Quartz
• Rose Quartz
• Rutilated Quartz
• Smoky Quartz

Smoky Quartz jewelry

• Smoky Quartz Pendants
• Smoky Quartz Rings
• Smoky Quartz Earrings
• Smoky Quartz Necklaces
• Smoky Quartz Bracelets
• All Smoky Quartz Jewelry

Etymology and history

The word "quartz" is derived from the German word "quarz", which was imported from Middle High German, "twarc", which originated in Slavic (cf. Czech tvrdy ("hard"), Polish twardy ("hard"), Russian твёрдый ("hard")), from Old Bulgarian (Church Slavonic) тврьдъ ("firm"). Quartz is attractive and durable, as well as inexpensive. The word smoky is from a color of this stone, dark brown.

Smoky Quartz description

Smoky Quartz (silica) as a crystal, quartz is used as a semiprecious gem stone. Cryptocrystalline forms may also be gem stones: agate, jasper, onyx, carnelian, chalcedony, etc. Crystalline gem varieties include amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, smoky quartz, etc. Because of its piezoelectric properties quartz is used for pressure gauges, oscillators, resonators, and wave stabilizers; because of its ability to rotate the plane of polarization of light and its transparency in ultraviolet rays it is used in heat-ray lamps, prism, and spectrographic lenses. Used in the manufacture of glass, paints, abrasives, refractoriness, and precision instruments. Smoky quartz is a popular variety of quartz. It has an unusual color for a gemstone and is easily recognized and is well known by the general public. Only a few other brown or black minerals are ever cut for gemstones such as black diamond, smoky topaz, the very rare black beryl or brown corundum

Smoky Quartz in jewelry

Smoky Quartz is one of the best stones to choose when buying jewelry, they are extremely beautiful and perfect for being set in a ring, for bracelets, earrings and for charms. It is also used for jewelry in its natural shape which is branch like. Usually it is first polished. Smoky quartz is also popular as an ornamental stone and is carved into spheres, pyramids, obilisks, eggs, figurines and ornate statues.

Occurrence

Smoky Quartz is one of the most common minerals on earth. Major producers of natural quartz crystals are the United States (particularly Arkansas) and Brazil. Natural quartz is rarely used as found in nature (especially in electrical applications), except as a gemstone