Gemstone Spotlight: Rutilated Quartz
Rutilated quartz contains acicular (needle-like) inclusions of rutile. Rutile is a mineral composed primarily of titanium dioxide. It can appear in various colors, ranging from golden to reddish-brown, depending on its iron oxide content. The more iron oxide in the rutile inclusions, the more intense the color.
With a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, rutilated quartz is relatively durable.
GOLDEN RUTILATED QUARTZ
Golden Rutilated Quartz has earned the nickname “venus hair stone." This comes from the ancient belief that the golden rutile strands were the hair of venus, the roman goddess of love and beauty.
COPPER RUTILATED QUARTZ
Copper Rutilated Quartz is sometimes called “cupid’s arrow stone." This nickname comes from the belief that the red copper needles resemble the arrows of cupid, the roman god of love, symbolizing passion and romance.
TOURMALINATED QUARTZ
Tourmalinated quartz contains needle-like inclusions of black tourmaline. Occasionally, the tourmaline may appear dark green depending on its composition. It forms in environments where both quartz and tourmaline can develop simultaneously. During the crystallization process, black tourmaline needles grow within the quartz, becoming encapsulated as the quartz continues to form.
Tourmalinated Quartz represents a yin-yang harmony, with black tourmaline embodying grounding, protective yin energy and quartz embodying the yang energy of clarity and amplification. They are complementary forces of the universe, representing darkness and light.
