If you are a dork follower, of either this blog or a Dorkorama jewelry customer, you are probably used to seeing some of the unique stones I love to use, but maybe you are wondering, "whattheheckisthat?" I am going to attempt to answer that question, in the easiest, least convoluted way possible. I am not a gemstone expert by any stretch of the imagination, so I may make mistakes here, I am open to learning.! Please feel free to let me know.
Today i am going to focus on Gold and Copper Rutilated Quartz and Tourmalinated Quartz.. Normally quartz, are preferrable if they are free of inclusions and usually it's pureness, transparency, and color (smoky, lemon, yaddayadda) determine the quality and the name. The stones I love most throw those old rules out the window. Rutilated Quartz, and Tourmalinated Quartz both are enhanced by what is included within them. The clearness and clarity are still desirable, but mostly to enhance the visibility of the inclusions.
Rutilated Quartz or Rutile Quartz: Also called Venus Hair Stone and Cupid's Darts. Quartz is the most abundant mineral on earth, and when it meets another mineral, sometimes they will hit it off and in Jersey Shore terms "Get it in". When this happens and it's icky, we call it an inclusion and it makes the stone less desirable.
But when it is titanium dioxide it is called Rutile and also can be really freakin' gorgeous. The color can vary from gold to orange and copper red. It will usually be listed as either Gold or Copper Rutilated Quartz depending on the color or if mixed by the dominant one or simply called mixed rutile quartz.
A friend and I recently were pondering why they have stopped calling them venus hair stone, it sounds so lovely! But then we thought of the venus hair razor for ladies, and how it even come in gold, red and black, just like leg hair! The black hairs are of course,
Tourmalinated Quartz is kind of easy to pick apart once you understand what rutilated quartz is. Tourmalinated meaning that the inclusions within the quartz are black tourmaline. This one shares the same nicknames as the others, it only varies by what is inside. I absolutely LOVE this stone. It's bold black splashes and spikes never fail to inspire me. It is so graphic, and yet abstract. Even the lower grade stuff, normally the B or C grade with snowy opaque crystal still looks super cool! It also goes so well with the antiqued silver I love!
Well there! We learned something and I worked in some shameless promotion, not bad! Now with your new knowledge you can discuss the difference between the two and make strangers think you are a professor or something! Next time I will get into the Mossy's Moss Amethyst and Moss Aquamarine! And hey we only had one mention of
Snooki! <3 Dork
6 comments:
Tourmalinated Quartz is GORGEOUS! And that first necklace pictured with it... stunning Mister. And you are a nerdy Dork. Gloriously nerdy. <3
Hehe, I am a nerd! It's funny, I took a full semester of geology in college-nothin! But this I am so into it, so I learn accidently
I absolutely LOOOOVE the stones you use!!! And I love learning about gem stones...it's so fun! I hated science in school...but man, if I could have learned this? I'd have been all over it! Thanks for some amazing knowledge this morning! Can't wait to hear about the Mossy's...I'd never heard of either of those Mossy's before!
Thanks y'all! I'm having a little trouble with the mossy research. I know what both stones are but not sure if I can make sense enough to explain it yet. To be continued!
How would you distinguish between cacoxenite and rutilated quartz/
however it was another joy to see It is such an important topic and ignored by so many, even professionals.
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