Rose quartz is the Gemstone of the Week

This blog post is dedicated to Julie Ann and Jacinda Twigg. The world has lost two beautiful people. Julie Ann sold on ArtFire as well as Etsy. She was a joy to all, especially the Mentors and Mavens on ArtFire. People remind me of certain gemstones, and Julie Ann always reminded me of Rose Quartz. In the world of gemstones, Rose Quartz is believed to bring love, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and tolerance. I saw all of those in Julie Ann at one time or another in her posts. Her loving presence is missed by many on ArtFire. R.I.P. with your angel, little koala.

The beautiful Rose Quartz variety of quartz is one of the most desirable varieties of quartz on the market today. It ranges in color from a pale, pastel pink to a rose red. The color comes from iron , titanium and manganese impurities in the rock.

Most Rose Quartz on the market today has been dyed to maintain a uniform color, but you can find some that is natural. It is all photosensitive and will fade in the sunlight. On the Moh scale, it has a hardness of 7. Rose Quartz generally has a cloudy look to it, and is not transparent, so clarity is not a high consideration when buying this gemstone.

The oldest known use of Rose Quartz goes back to Mesopotamia in 7000 B.C. when it was used as beads. Historically, it was valued as a stone of love and beauty.

Rose Quartz is found in Madagascar, Brazil, India, Germany, Scotland, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Namibia, and several states in the U.S. including Maine.