(c) Sandra I. Smith
May not be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the author
Valentine's Day: a day for hearts, roses, and quartz. Quartz?
That's rose quartz, the gemstone of love.
A translucent gemstone that glows with ethereal beauty when polished, its soft pink colors give rose quartz its name. Those colors result from trace amounts of the mineral titanium in what would otherwise be clear quartz. Tiny crystals of rutile, another mineral, can make rose quartz look milky, and under certain conditions, create star stones. (Star stones are gemstones in which rotation under light produces a moving star just under the surface.)
Folklorists and magicians classify rose quartz as a "receptive" stone. Receptive stones are credited with the ability to attract positive qualities, like peace and love, to their wearer. Wearers of rose quartz trust it to mend broken hearts and relieve other kinds of emotional pain. They also rely on it to enhance self-acceptance and encourage forgiveness. Some believe that rose quartz's ability to draw calmness to them helps reduce high blood pressure. But of all of its assumed powers, its reputation for attracting love is what has made rose quartz treasured through the ages.
Although it can be placed anywhere on the body, those who believe in its powers say rose quartz is most effective worn as a necklace, with the stone over the heart. They maintain that the best love amulet is a heart-shaped piece of rose quartz.
An abundant mineral, rose quartz is mined in Africa, South America, and the United States. It's inexpensive and easy to acquire.
Bright reds and whites are the colors traditionally associated with Valentine's Day--the day lovers declare their feelings for one another. Nature blends the best of red and white into pink with rose quartz--the gemstone of love.
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