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Article: Rock crystal quartz: Rock crystal quartz has been admired since gems were discovered thousands of years ago.(jewel of the month)
- Article from:
- Jewelers Circular Keystone
- Article date:
- January 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Reed Business Information, Inc. (US). This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Diamonds may claim ownership of the nickname "ice," but rock crystal is actually named for that frozen substance. Pliny the Elder called it krystallos--Greek for "ice." It's an appropriate name: Rock crystal quartz does look a lot like ice. But did Pliny actually believe that rock crystal was ice, frozen so hard it would never melt again? Pretty vivid imagination, considering that quartz really isn't that cold to the touch.
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Rock crystal, colorless quartz, silicon dioxide--whatever you call it, it's one of the most versatile gem materials ever unearthed. It is used as a gemstone, beautiful in its own right, and also cut to imitate ...