A lovely ring, made of 925 Sterling Silver features 2.40cts of beautiful Smokey Quartz, White & Champagne Diamonds. Smokey Quartz is Scotland's national gemstone.
Precious metal: 925 Sterling Silver
Average Weight: 3.33g
Number of Gemstones: 7
Shape: Round
Total Carat Weight: 2.43cts
Birthstone Month:
Smokey Quartz is not associated with any particular birthstone month.
History & Lore:
There is not 100% agreement regarding the exact origins of the name Quartz, but the two most widely accepted opinions are that the word Quartz is derived from the Greek 'krystallos', meaning “ice”, or the German 'quarz'.
The Druids considered smoky quartz to be a sacred stone. The Scottish scepter, dating back to the 15th century, is adorned with a sphere of smoky quartz. Scottish men would traditionally carry small daggers embellished with the stone as well. A famous crystal ball was owned by Dr Dee, a diviner in the court of Queen Elizabeth 1 of England. This sphere of smoky quartz is on display at the British Museum in London. It is the national stone of Scotland.
Some of the earliest primitive tools fashioned by man some 2.5 million years ago, and discovered in the Omo valley in Ethiopia were made of Quartz. It is believed that Quartz was used because of its hardness and isotropic brittleness that made the fashioning of the tools relatively easy. Projectile points used for fire-making have been found on Mousterian sites in Western Europe that date back around 40,000 years.
Today, Quartz is not only used for gemstone purposes, but also as a raw chemical ingredient in the manufacturing of abrasives, cements, concrete, porcelain, glass, and many other industrial materials.
The color of Smoky Quartz, whether it is natural or artificial, has been produced by exposure to irradiation. It is also a popular stone for ornamental jewelry, being carved into spheres, pyramids,
obelisks, eggs, figurines and ornate statues.
Smoky Quartz is believed to be a calm and comforting stone that can alleviate stress and transform negative emotions into positive energies. It is also said to provide clarity of thought, improve intuition and
enhance survival instincts. Physically, Smoky Quartz is believed to help detoxify the
body, improve fertility, and aid the proper functioning of the kidneys,adrenals, pancreas, and sex organs.
The vast majority of natural Smoky Quartz comes from Brazil. Smoky Quartz originated from Mount Cairngorm of Scotland where it is a favorite ornamental stone. It is called Cairngorm. There are also known deposits of natural Smoky
Quartz in Australia, Madagascar, Spain, Switzerland, and Colorado.