Rose Quartz: Meanings, Healing Properties, and Uses

Of all the pink gemstones out there, the beautiful rose quartz stone takes the cake. Rose quartz is a quartz mineral that displays soothing shades of pink with a milky translucence. The stone is known for its ties to all forms of love. 

Rose quartz is adored by many. In the U.S., South Dakota has claimed rose quartz as their official state mineral since 1966. In 2016, Pantone gave rose quartz the honor of being named “Color of the Year.”

The gem has been a favorite of royalty as well, from Bavarian King Ludwig II to Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi. This rose-hued stone is also a prominent crystal in the Chinese practice of Feng Shui as well.

But what makes rose quartz so enchanting? And what is rose quartz used for in practical day-to-day life? Today, we’ll answer all your pressing questions about the blushing rose quartz stone. We’ll also break down some important buying factors to bookmark as you shop.

About Rose Quartz

Rose quartz is a type of quartz mineral known for its blush pink color and connection to love. It may come as no surprise then that rose quartz is connected to the planet of love, Venus!

For those familiar with astrology, you may know that Venus rules the zodiac signs Taurus and Libra. Rose quartz is a zodiac stone for Taurus and Libra as well. Rose quartz benefits these two signs in their love of all things lush and romantic.

If your birthday kicks off the year in January, rose quartz is one of your birthstones! Sure, the striking red garnet makes a statement, but the subtle pink rose quartz keeps the positive vibes going all year long.

Are you celebrating a fifth anniversary this year? Rose quartz is a modern gemstone for this anniversary and makes a lovely substitute for the traditional sapphire stone. Better yet, why not choose a rose quartz engagement ring from the get-go? The pink gem’s durability and abundance make it a unique, more affordable option.

In fact, high durability is just one of the many intriguing rose quartz properties.

Rose quartz is a form of macrocrystalline quartz. The source of rose quartz’s blush hue isn’t certain. Some scientists presume the color comes from titanium mixing in during formation. Other research alludes that the source might be a mineral called dumortierite. Either way, we can’t stop raving about it!

Beyond its enchanting color, rose quartz stone can show optical effects like pleochroism, blue Tyndall scattering, asterism, and even cat’s eye chatoyancy at times. The stone’s color can even create new varieties like the rich pink strawberry rose quartz or light purple lavender rose quartz.

Rose Quartz Stone Specifications

• Chemical compound: Silicon dioxide 

• Mohs scale: 7

• Color: Very light pink to rose red; Sometimes lavender, light coral, or purplish-pink

• Crystal structure: Hexagonal (sub-system of trigonal)

• Luster: Opaque to vitreous (glass-like)

• Transparency: Transparent to opaque; Most often translucent

• Refractive index: 1.54-1.55

• Density: 2.65

• Cleavage: None

• Luminescence: Fluorescent type; Inert to weak; Shortwave UV or X-ray

• Optical phenomena: Sometimes chatoyancy, weak asterism, or Tyndall scattering

• Pleochroism: Can be strong; Shades of pink

Rose Quartz vs. Pink Quartz

Rose quartz has a few nicknames, like the Quarzo rosa in Portugal or the Bohemian ruby. You may also find it called “pink quartz” sometimes, but pink quartz is a slightly different gemstone. Howso? The variance boils down to color.

• Rose quartz gets its color from microscopic, fibrous inclusions of a borosilicate mineral called dumortierite. 

• Pink quartz, on the other hand, gets its color from aluminum and phosphorus replacing parts of the silica inside.

How do you tell pink quartz from rose quartz? 

For one, pink quartz grows in individual crystal shapes with distinct faces, while rose quartz intergrows with other crystals and doesn’t have distinct faces. The easiest way to know? Put the stone under UV light. Pink quartz’s color will fade, while rose quartz’s color won’t.

Pink quartz is also much rarer than rose quartz, and may go by the names “crystalline rose quartz” or “pink crystalline quartz.” 

Speaking of names, one of rose quartz’s spiritual nicknames is the “Stone of Unconditional Love.” Now, let’s look at rose quartz meaning and uses and see why this name is so fitting.

Rose Quartz Meaning

Unlike other crystals with ancient etymologies, rose quartz is simply named for its rosy pink color. The first official mention of rose quartz as a mineral was in 1774, but its meaning goes far beyond mineralogy.

Besides the “Stone of Unconditional Love,” rose quartz is also called the “Stone of Self-Love” and the “Stone of Love and Relationships.” Essentially, rose quartz stone benefits cover every kind of love and connection!

Rose quartz’s meaning holds special significance in East Asian culture. While it’s a favorite material for carvings, rose quartz stones are “tokens of love” in Tibetan and Chinese culture, according to spiritual healer Kelsey Patel.

The Chinese art of Feng Shui holds rose quartz in esteem as well. The stone’s Feng Shui properties relate to soothing, healing, and of course, love. When placed strategically, rose quartz can bring serenity, attract love, and promote self-esteem.

So how can you utilize rose quartz’s powers? Glad you asked! Let’s discuss the many rose quartz uses for healing. 

Rose Quartz Uses and Benefits

When rose quartz is used as a healing crystal, it helps those struggling with emotional or physical scars, particularly facial ones. The stone can absorb negative energies and attract love, setting you on the path toward a more loving, fulfilling life.

Rose quartz healing properties can help promote relationship harmony, increase happy feelings, and open up the heart to a new romance. Wearing a rose quartz necklace over your heart is also known to protect against bitterness and frustration.

Part of the importance of wearing rose quartz over your heart is its connection to the heart chakra. In fact, some claim that rose quartz is the most important crystal for heart chakra work. After all, the heart chakra rules love, empathy, and connection — just like the rose quartz stone!

You’ll know your heart chakra is blocked if you feel like you can’t trust anyone or that you’re undeserving of love. When rose quartz opens the chakra, you may feel more compassionate towards others and yourself. 

Rose quartz benefits for physical healing include boosting blood circulation, making healing faster, and optimizing brainpower. It’s also purported to protect from electromagnetic frequencies when placed near electronic devices. The most popular benefit, however, is for getting better skin.

How do you go about accessing these benefits?

How to Use Rose Quartz

There’s a myriad of ways to use rose quartz, so we’ll give you our top methods:

• Wear a rose quartz necklace over your heart to embrace self-love and compassion.

• Infuse your bath water with rose quartz crystals for maximum relaxation.

• Attract a new relationship by placing two rose quartz hearts on your nightstand.

• Use a rose quartz roller on your face for a better complexion and healthier skin.

Dermatologists have touted the wrinkle-reducing and skin-healing benefits of rose quartz rollers. One study in 2019 concluded that using a facial roller can increase blood flow, meaning better absorption of skin-care products and fewer signs of aging.

What if we told you this practice isn’t new at all? In fact, skincare is just one of the many ancient practices that utilized rose quartz stones.  

Rose Quartz Stone History & Mythology

The adoration of rose quartz goes all the way back to the Stone Age.

In modern-day Iraq, archeologists have uncovered rose quartz beads likely made by Mesopotamians around 7000 BC. Rose quartz jewelry made by Assyrians in 800-600 BC has also been discovered. Moreover, rose quartz intaglios were popular in ancient times for creating seals in the Middle East and Rome.

Romans went a step ahead by using their rose quartz seals as symbols of ownership, which is a more elegant method than writing your name on your shirt tag, that’s for sure! 

Ancient Roman and Egyptian women supposedly used rose quartz face masks for their anti-aging properties, based on artifacts from tomb excavations. Egyptians utilized the stone’s anti-aging powers in the form of talismans.

As you know, rose quartz stones hold great esteem in Chinese history and culture. We mentioned Empress Dowager Cixi’s fondness for the stone, but other folks during the Qing Dynasty incorporated it into their own rituals, too. 

During significant marriage ceremonies of this era, the priest would give a “marriage sword” to the groom and give the sheath to the bride. The sheath was decorated with rose quartz cabochons, among other pink jewels. As the groom put the ring on his bride, they would place the sword back in its sheath as a symbol of unity.

Other cultures shared ritual storytelling by incorporating rose quartz into various myths.

Rose Quartz Myths & Legends

In Greek mythology, rose quartz’s origin is connected to Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

The story goes that Aphrodite’s husband, Ares, was jealous of her affair with Adonis, the god of fertility. Ares, as the god of war, attacked Adonis and wounded him. 

When Aphrodite rushed over to help Adonis, she was cut on a briar bush. She and Adonis’s blood dripped onto a clear quartz stone, staining it pink and creating rose quartz.

Another Greek legend claims that Aphrodite’s son, Eros, gave rose quartz to humans to spread love and sensuality throughout the world.

In Egyptian mythology, the goddess of life, Isis, was revered as the pinnacle of femininity. To maintain her ethereal beauty, she used rose quartz as part of her skin cleansing routine. When she was done, a new rose quartz stone would fall from the sky so she knew where to return the next day.

Gemstones unfortunately don’t fall from the sky in real life, though we certainly wish they could! So in our world, how is rose quartz formed?

Rose Quartz Origins and Sources

Like most quartz stones, rose quartz grows in pegmatite rocks and hydrothermal veins. Most often, rose quartz comes from magmatic pegmatite. Magmatic pegmatite forms when magma and mineral-rich water solidify into pegmatite. 

Crystal growth happens quickly in these pegmatite rocks, resulting in quite massive specimens. The minerals present in the water before the rocks solidify determine what crystals emerge.

How does rose quartz form?

Rose quartz forms when tiny inclusions of silicate mineral fibers align within clear quartz during the process. If asbestos particles are present, it could become a star rose quartz stone.

Mining Locations

The best rose quartz specimens, particularly for faceted pieces, come from Brazil. India is another abundant source, and the Khairi mine is known for producing rose quartz.

Madagascar is a fascinating source of rose quartz. When miners discovered rose quartz there in the 1980s, faceted rose quartz jewelry boomed worldwide. Additionally, the rare rose quartz stones that show Tyndall scattering most often come from Madagascar. 

Other countries with prominent rose quartz deposits include:

• Sri Lanka

• Australia

• South Africa

• Sweden

• Japan

• Russia

• USA

In the United States, abundant rose quartz mines are in North Carolina, Colorado, and South Dakota. In fact, some claim the Black Hills of South Dakota are “the best location in the world for rose quartz collecting.”

If you’d rather buy a rose quartz stone than search for one, that’s okay too! However, you’ll want to know the essential buying factors first.

Rose Quartz Gemstone Properties

Every gemstone’s value comes down to a few factors. Gemologists grade these factors to let the buyer know what to expect in their crystal. 

For rose quartz, its color, clarity, and cut determine its overall value.

Color 

As we said at the beginning, rose quartz stones come in shades of pink from very light pink to flamingo pink.

Size matters when it comes to rose quartz’s color. Smaller pieces are typically lighter-colored, while larger specimens show better saturation.

One highly-valued rose quartz with vivid coloring is the Brazilian specimen La Madona Rose, or Pink Madonna. 

Clarity 

Gemstone clarity always comes down to the inclusions within the stone. Rose quartz’s inclusions are what makes it so beautiful, and well-placed inclusions can increase the stone’s value. For instance, properly oriented rutile inclusions can give rose quartz the “cat’s eye” effect known as chatoyancy. 

Based on the colored gemstone clarity grading system, most rose quartz stones would fall under Type II or Type III. Which category the stone falls under depends on if it’s more transparent or translucent. 

Cut 

Because of its formation process, rose quartz is typically found as massive specimens. Rose quartz crystals are actually incredibly rare.

The stone’s transparency will often determine its cut. Rose quartz with milky translucence or asterism will most likely become cabochons or beads. More transparent specimens might be cut into checkerboard or round cuts for faceting.

Rose quartz’s soft color and luster lend well to carvings as well. Carvers will often create delicate animal figurines, eggs, tea light holders, or spheres.

Now that you know the value factors, it’s time to shop! But how much does rose quartz cost?

Rose Quartz Price and Value

When it comes to rose quartz price, it’s a very affordable gemstone. Specimens with richer coloring or better transparency will have higher value. Of course, the cut and craftsmanship will also play a role in the cost.

If you’re a collector looking for rough rose quartz, most wholesale pieces will be between $0.07-$2 per carat. Rose quartz cabochons are typically between $0.13-$4 per carat.  

Faceted rose quartz stones will be about $1.50-$5 per carat. Carvings often require higher levels of craftsmanship, so intricate rose quartz carvings can be between $4-$11 per carat. Simpler carvings, like heart shapes, are $0.05-$1.20 per carat.

Lastly, let’s go over the best practices for taking care of your rose quartz stone.

Rose Quartz Stone Care and Maintenance

Rose quartz can be a delicate stone, so be sure to handle it with care. You can clean rose quartz with mild soap and warm water.

Storage is paramount for protecting rose quartz stones. The best option is to store it away from other gemstones in an opaque, fabric-lined container. Certain rose quartz gems can fade with prolonged exposure to sunlight, so be cautious about leaving them near a window.

How do you cleanse rose quartz? For spiritual endeavors, the stone should be cleansed on a regular basis. You can cleanse it easily by putting it under running water or moonlight.

Looking for Everlasting Love? Buy Rose Quartz!

With all of rose quartz’s rich history and spiritual uses, it’s no wonder this pink gem is beloved by so many. You can wear rose quartz jewelry, practice heart chakra meditation, or spruce up your home with a rose quartz figurine. 

However you use rose quartz, its gentle nature is certain to open your heart and attract lots of love. All it takes is the courage to take the first step.

As the poet Rumi said, “Let us carve gems out of our stony hearts and let them light our path to love.” 

Invite love into your life with a rose quartz stone! 

Rose Quartz