Quartz is a stone that can be found and mined in many locations and on pretty much every continent, the largest deposits and variety of colors being boasted by Brazil. In fact, it is most likely that a quartz necklace with green or lemon stones came from Brazil.
Other locations with large deposits of green, lemon, or lime colored quartz can be found in places such as Zimbabwe, as well as Canada, Arizona, and the border of California and Nevada in North America. Quartz can also be found in Europe, however the colors of these stones are determined by where in Europe they are found.
The two most popular quartz colors are the birthstone of February, Amethyst, and of November, Citrine. Even though not official birthstones, the green varieties of quartz could be argued to be used as an alternative to the purple amethyst, due to the fact they did start out at one time as amethyst. However, this can only be said if the green stones are made naturally and not from a lab, lab made green stones start as colorless and are changed to green through irradiation.
Quartz is not only a beautiful and colorful gemstone, this mineral is also a common component for electronic parts. In fact, quartz has piezoelectric properties, meaning that if this mineral is heated or has friction applied becomes like magnet. To ensure purity for industrial use, most quartz is grown from a starter piece in a lab, even though the availability of natural crystal is plentiful.
Quartz, like many other minerals and crystals of the past, has the belief of mystical properties attached to it, in fact, it was used to fashion such things as crystal balls or scrying stones because it was thought to allow someone to look into the future. Other mystical believers think that wearing a green quartz necklace will open up the sight into the spiritual world, while a lemon hued stone will squash evil thoughts towards its wearer and others around them. The wearer can therefore find that any self-doubt and self-criticism will be eliminated, helping rid themselves of any negative effects when wearing it.
Gemstones may dull in appearance due to a build up of dirt, soap, and body oils collecting both on the surface and beneath the gemstone, so in order to keep lime, green, or lemon quartz jewelry pieces vibrant in color, it is a good idea to clean them in warm soapy water and rinse. A soft brush may also be used to scrub away any stubborn grime found stuck in the jewelry setting.
Quartz has a rank of 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making this a very durable gemstone, in fact, it is durable enough to withstand everyday wear when worn as jewelry.
Keywords: quartz, gemstone