Lavender quartz is a variety of quartz that has a light lavender to pinkish-purple hue. It tends to have a translucent and opalescent effect. The exact cause of the colour has yet to be definitively confirmed, and the specifics can vary depending on the exact stone and its origin.
The colouration of quartz is due to trace impurities or structural defects. For example, amethyst's purple colour comes from iron impurities and natural or artificial irradiation. Amethyst's colour ranges from purple to violet and can also be a pale red-violet. At the same time, rose quartz's pink colour is often attributed to titanium, iron, or manganese impurities or to microscopic mineral inclusions that scatter light. Rose quartz' colour ranges from a strong to pale pink.
It's often suggested that lavender quartz is a type of rose quartz with high levels of titanium or manganese, although this has yet to be definitively confirmed. Some lavender quartz could also be the result of treatments, such as heating or coating other types of quartz to change their colour.
Remember that the gem trade's naming practices don't align perfectly with mineralogical classifications. Sometimes, names are based more on a stone's colour or place of origin than its exact chemical composition or structure. So, "lavender quartz" may refer to a range of slightly different stones, all of which have a similar colour.
The colouration of quartz is due to trace impurities or structural defects. For example, amethyst's purple colour comes from iron impurities and natural or artificial irradiation. Amethyst's colour ranges from purple to violet and can also be a pale red-violet. At the same time, rose quartz's pink colour is often attributed to titanium, iron, or manganese impurities or to microscopic mineral inclusions that scatter light. Rose quartz' colour ranges from a strong to pale pink.
It's often suggested that lavender quartz is a type of rose quartz with high levels of titanium or manganese, although this has yet to be definitively confirmed. Some lavender quartz could also be the result of treatments, such as heating or coating other types of quartz to change their colour.
Remember that the gem trade's naming practices don't align perfectly with mineralogical classifications. Sometimes, names are based more on a stone's colour or place of origin than its exact chemical composition or structure. So, "lavender quartz" may refer to a range of slightly different stones, all of which have a similar colour.
