Inorganic Gemstones

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Rock Crystal

Rough rock crystal in hexagonal form.

Colourless and transparent, rock crystal is the most widely distributed variety of quartz, one of the most common minerals of the Earth’s crust. The crystals are usually found as colourless hexagonal prisms, with pyramidal ends and striations perpendicular to their length; they are often twinned. Cleavage is poor and fracture conchoidal.

Although found worldwide, the most important sourcs of rock crystal are in Brazil. Other localities include the Swiss and French Alps, where fine crystals occur, and Madagascar, the former USSR, and the USA.

The name “quartz” comes from the Greek word “krustallos”, meaning ice, because it was thought that quartz was ice formed by the gods. Since the Middle Ages, crystal balls made of rock crystal is used in lamps, lenses, and the manufacture of glass and precision instruments. Synthetic rock crystal has been produced since 1950 for use in watches.


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In Germany, the garland of ambers is hung around the necks of the infants, so that their teeth might come out without much trouble.

In Turkey, people fix a piece of amber in the hubble-bubble, dogged by an age old belief that the presence of the jewel would destroy all the germs and no disease would spread, even after many have dragged their puffs from it.

In Greece, people think if wine is poured into the cups made of amethyst, one does not get drunk after drinking that.

In Rome, a talisman having coral pieces is considered very auspicious to quell the bad spells of evil look. The Romans were in the habit of hanging chains made of ancient coral pieces from the cradle of the infants to protect them from evil effects.

In China, people wear rings studded with tiny conch or oyster shells as they believe it cures all aches such as stomach ache, worms and like.

In India, pendants made of silver and studded with pearls are hung from the necks of the children to save them from any bad effects.

Greeks still believe, if women wear blue sapphires then no sense of immorality would pollute their mind nor can any fear of the supernatural can trouble them.

The Pope Innocent III had circulated an order asking all the priests wear blue sapphire, so that morality can be strengthened.

It is said about turquoise, that when the stone changes its color into yellow, it actually signals bad times to the person who wears it.

It is believed that a turquoise gifted to a friend or a lover turns his or her life into one of happiness and good luck.

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