Rose Quartz: Stone of Fertility

In an Ancient Egyptian ritual, women used to rub rose quartz crystal on their faces. This ritual was said to have been taught by the goddess Isis herself, who collected tumbled stones of rose quartz from the Nile to use in preserving her beauty. What is rose quartz? How was this gemstone recognized as a stone of fertility? Here’s information on the love stone we call rose quartz.

Rose Quartz Bracelet

Rose Quartz Properties

Rose quartz is the pink variety of quartz ranging in shade from pale pink to rose red, hence the name rose quartz. While pure quartz is perfectly transparent, the rose quartz crystal is generally cloudy in appearance due to the misty inclusions present in the mineral. When occurring as a clear crystal, the gemstone is called pink quartz. Rare rose quartz stones occur with asterism, and are called star rose quartz.

A raw pink quartz crystal
Source: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Rose Quartz History

Greek mythology spoke of the rose quartz crystal as having been born out of the bitter, yet sweet, fusion of love and pain. The gorgeous, youthful Adonis was beloved by Aphrodite, whom the Romans call Venus; yet Aries, the god of war, fancies the goddess of beauty himself, and was jealous. Plotting to kill Adonis, Aries sent a boar after the young man.

Tumbled rose quartz stones
Source: Adam Ognisty via Wikimedia Commons

Aphrodite rushed to the aid of her beloved, but caught herself in a briar bush. Blood flowed from her wound, mingled with the blood of a slain Adonis, and stained a clear quartz beneath the couple. The white quartz turned pink, and became the gemstone we now call rose quartz. Indeed, a rose quartz rock stands as a testament of love, and may have been used as a love token as early as 600 BC.

Rose Quartz Necklace

Rose quartz is likewise a stone of beauty. Women in Ancient Egypt used the rose quartz gemstone in a ritual to keep and restore their beauty. This ritual was said to have been handed down by the goddess Isis herself, who searched the Nile River for tumbled rose quartz stones, and rubbed them over her cheeks and around the eyes. Believed to clear complexion and prevent wrinkles, rose quartz facial masks have been recovered from Egyptian tombs.

Rose Quartz Bracelet

Rose Quartz Meaning

To this day, rose quartz is recognized as a stone of fertility. Like the way the goddess Isis used it for, the rose quartz crystal is thought to nurture the life and vibrancy beneath the skin, as well as relieve stress, thereby keeping one’s beauty and loveliness indeed. As a love stone, the rose quartz gem is exchanged as token between couples usually in the shape of heart. The woman places a rose quartz stone on her stomach during pregnancy, and gives the stone to her baby after birth, as the rose quartz mineral is believed to welcome new life.

Taurus Charm Necklace: Rose Quartz Pendant

Taurus Birthstone

Rose quartz is assigned as birthstone to Taurus, a concentrated earth sign. The ruling planet of Taurus is Venus, and Venus’ stone, rose quartz, is believed to bring love, whether romantic, friendly or self-love, all of which the Taurus people relish. The Taurus folk are known to be quite practical and industrious. In response to their hard-working disposition, a rose quartz crystal is believed to heal their mind and ease their stresses, keeping them young and beautiful indeed. For other birthstones for Taurus, see also Taurus Birthstones.

Rose Quartz Necklace

Rose Quartz Jewelry

When cut and polished well, a fine rose quartz stone makes an excellent pendant for fine jewelry. Although not as widely used for rings and earrings, rose quartz is a popular gemstone for fashion jewelry. Indeed, the rose quartz crystal is commonly cut into beads, and strung together to make beaded necklaces and bracelets.

Being famous as a love stone, the rose quartz gemstone is often cut into heart-shaped pendants, which have proven quite popular in today’s jewelry market.

A star rose quartz cabochon

Rose Quartz Value

How much is rose quartz worth? Being quite abundant in Nature, rose quartz is a relatively inexpensive gemstone, making it more accessible for sculpture. The cloudy clarity of the rose quartz crystal also brings down its price.

Of course, the finer, more transparent a rose quartz stone is, the more valuable it is. Being rare, the star rose quartz is also more expensive. On the other hand, excellent craftsmanship in using even cloudy rose quartz beads raises the jewelry’s price.

Rose Quartz Earrings

Do you like rose quartz?

Rose quartz is the pink variety of quartz. A stone of fertility, rose quartz crystal is believed to nourish life and preserve beauty. Do you like rose quartz? Do you like wearing pink gemstones in general? See also 24 Types of Pink Gemstones in Jewelry.

Published May 12, 2014

About the Author

Deomar Pandan is the author of Power Birthstone. He's on the third draft of a high-fantasy novel, Cybelym, and the first of a historical fiction, Gem Faerie. He hopes to release a nonfiction book about diamond soon. Follow him for updates. Or see his jewelry and designs.