Smoky Quartz
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Smoky quartz is the translucent to transparent brownish-gray to nearly black variety of quartz, its color produced by natural irradiation of aluminum-bearing crystals within the Earth's crust over millions of years. It is the national gemstone of Scotland, where it has featured in Celtic jewelry and Highland dress since antiquity, and it occurs worldwide in granitic rocks and pegmatites, with particularly large crystals from Brazil and the Swiss Alps. A Mohs hardness of 7 and good clarity make it both durable and affordable, and it is readily faceted into large, clean stones as well as carved ornaments. Crystallizing in the trigonal system with a refractive index near 1.544, it shares the optical constants of all quartz, and gentle heating can lighten or remove its smoky tone.
Physical & Optical Properties
Category
Semi-Precious Gems
Mohs Hardness
7.0
Specific Gravity
2.65
Refractive Index
1.544 – 1.553
Crystal System
Trigonal
Cleavage
None
Fracture
Conchoidal
Color
various
Birefringence
0.009
Dispersion
0.013
Pleochroism
Dark: definite - brown, reddish-brown
Mohs Hardness
Mohs Hardness: 7.0
1 Soft10 Hard
Crystal System
Value & Market
Price Tier
Moderate ($50-500/ct)
Where to Buy Smoky Quartz
Blue Nile
Fine jewelry retailer
James Allen
Gemstone jewelry
Brilliant Earth
Ethically sourced gems
Amazon
Wide selection
Links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Treatments
May be produced by irradiation of rock crystal (not detectable with standard tests) - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 7
7Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010)
2.65Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004)
BrittleWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) Very brittle
NoneWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001)
ConchoidalWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001)
1.544 to 1.553Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010)
Uniaxial/+Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004)
0.009Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004)
Dark: definite - brown, reddish-brownWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references
0.013Walter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001)
Clear brown colour and varying from a light brown to dark a brownMichael O?Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006)
Smokey, color center related to the Al3+ impurity.W. William Hanneman, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011)
Transparent,Translucent,OpaqueUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004)
Usually noneWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001)
TrigonalUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004)
Hexagonal prismsWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001)
Smoky Quartz information at mindat.org
Bolivia
Laurs (2001, 2010)
Laurs (2001, 2010)
Brazil
Macri et al. (2006)
Macri et al. (2006)
Kenya
Madagascar
Madagascar, extraLapis English No.1, 2001, p. 46
Pezzotta (2001)
Madagascar, extraLapis English No.1, 2001, p. 43
Danet (2009)
Mozambique
Bettencourt-Dias and Wilson (2000)
Myanmar
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Sri Lanka
UK
No reference listed
USA
About Smoky Quartz
Smoky Quartz is a translucent to transparent brownish-gray to nearly black variety of quartz, whose color results from natural irradiation of aluminum-bearing crystals in the Earth's crust over millions of years. It is the national gemstone of Scotland, where it has been used in Celtic jewelry and Highland dress accessories since antiquity, and is found worldwide in granitic rocks and pegmatites, with particularly large crystals from Brazil and the Swiss Alps. Its dark tones and excellent clarity make it a popular and affordable gem.
Jewelry Use
Durability
7/10
Suitable for daily wear
Science FYI Family
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smoky Quartz?
Smoky Quartz is a translucent to transparent brownish-gray to nearly black variety of quartz, whose color results from natural irradiation of aluminum-bearing crystals in the Earth's crust over millions of years. It is the national gemstone of Scotland, where it has been used in Celtic jewelry and H
What is the hardness of Smoky Quartz?
Smoky Quartz has a Mohs hardness of 7.0, making it excellent for use in jewelry.
What color is Smoky Quartz?
Smoky Quartz is primarily Various.
How much does Smoky Quartz cost?
Smoky Quartz falls into the Moderate ($50-500/ct) price range. Prices vary based on color, clarity, cut, and origin.
What is the crystal system of Smoky Quartz?
Smoky Quartz belongs to the Trigonal crystal system.