Quartz: Brazilian Smoky
Known as "nature's stone of endurance" because of its healing and cleansing properties, smoky quartz has a rich history, spanning ancient Egypt to modern day Scotland
Brazilian smoky quartz is a unique charmer and sacred stone for a number of cultures. It belongs to the macro crystalline quartz group, along with amethyst, ametrine, citrine and tiger's eye. It manifests itself in earth-toned clear look that comes in shades of cognac, brown to black or smoky gray. The name quartz comes from the Greek "krystallos" meaning ice and "querklufterz", a Saxon word meaning cross-vein ore.
- Smoky quartz is the national gem of Scotland and is considered a sacred stone, a belief dating back to 300 BCE to the time of the ancient Druids and the Celtic colonization of the British Isles. Dark colored smoky quartz crystals mined in the Cairngorm Mountains of the Scottish highlands are called "Morion." The yellow-brown to gray-brown crystals were "Cairngorm", in honor of the ancient mining areas in Cairngorms.
- A smoky quartz crystal ball, two and a half inches in diameter, tops the royal scepter of Scottish Crown Jewels. The scepter was a gift from Pope Alexander VI to King James IV in 1494 signifying his support of Scotland.
- At the start of the 17th century, craftsmen who made Scottish weapons featured "cairn" stones or smoky quartz into shoulder brooches, kilt pins and dark pommels.
- Dr. John Dee, the personal psychic of Queen Elizabeth I, used a smoky quartz as a "shew stone" or crystal ball to see the future.
- Some credit Brazilian smoky quartz in balancing emotions, providing inner peace, harmony and strengthening relationships. It also calms anger, boosts confidence and wards off negative energy.
- Brazilian smoky quartz is thought to encourage pride, joy in living, creativity and paves the way for perception and understanding.
LOCATION: Brazil
The earth's crust is made up of nearly 12 percent quartz, making quartz the most abundant single mineral on earth. Quartz comes in a variety of hues and has been in circulation for thousands of years. However, finding the highest quality of Smoky Quartz is rather rare.
We acquire rare Brazilian smoky quartz from the Minas Gerais in Brazil. This mine offers the finest quality of this variety of quartz.
- Ranks 7 on the Moh's scale of hardness.
- Color ranges from transparent to translucent in earth-tone shades of cognac, brown to black or smoky gray.
- Sourced from Minas Gerais in Brazil.
- Member of the quartz family.
- Gemstones have undergone heat treatments to enrich their color.
