Smoky Quartz Stone Beads
The
Smoky quartzes are obtained in clear crystalline form, and are found
in either brown or gray color. These beads are also well known as
Cairngorm or Morion. They can be exposed for further radiation.
Cairngorm is named after the mountain 'Cairngorm', which is present
in Scotland. Very dark color or black specimens of these quartz
beads are also called as 'Marion'. The primary colors of these beads are transparent brown, transparent gray and transparent black. From these color variation, these can be easily identified. Some Smoky Quartz beads are found even in opaque form instead of their as usual transparent form. For preparing and decorating decently decorous ornaments, these beads are widely used.
Smoky Quartz Stones
Chemical Structure: SiO2
Mineral: Cairngorm or Cairngormstone
Uses: Gemstone and ornamental stone.
Color: Various shades of black and brown.
Refraction: 1.544-1.553
Hardness: 7
A brown or a black colored quartz, smoky quartz is used for unusual faceted cuts. The color of the stone is unusual and can be well recognized by the general public. The commercial market of this particular stone is very limited, because the demand for brown gemstones is not very high. Smoky quartz is very popular as an ornamental stone. The stone can be carved into various shape like pyramids, spheres,obilisks, eggs, figurines and ornate statues. Sometimes smoky gray colored stones are considered as smoky quartz. The color of the smoky quartz is related to the amount of exposure to radiation that the stone has undergone. Natural smoky quartz stones are found in granitic rocks which have a small but continuous amount of radioactivity. Besides this, they also come from many sources around the world. A few of the more noteworthy areas are like Brazil, which is supposed to be the world's largest supplier, Pikes Peak area of Colorado, USA, and the Swiss Alps, which has produced many tons of these fine stones.
