Smokey (Quartz)

Color: Smokey grey, yellow to peach tint
Moh’s Hardness: 7
Refractive Index: 1.544-1.553
Critical Angle: 40.49°
Specific Gravity: 2.63-2.65
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Conchoidal
Dispersion: Medium (.013)
Heat Sensitivity: Can be... but is usually not a problem
Dichroism: none
Birefringence (double refraction): Weak (.009)
Crystal structure: Hexagonal

Treatments: Generally none... Some material is irradiated from clear Quartz. Some material is heated lighter.

What I prefer to polishing with: Cerium oxide with a Spectra Ultralap.

Jeff's Comments: Cuts and polishes like any other Quartz, usually no problems... I like to use a 1200 Nu Bond lap for pre-polish, it makes the polishing stage faster and easier. Some of the yellow/peach Smokey material can be very pretty and this type of material is not common. Can be expensive for top material, but most Smokey Quartz is not costly.

Design Notes: About any Quartz design will work well. As the rough gets more saturated, I prefer checker boards and bar cuts. I prefer to cut large clear Quartz, they are actually pretty impressive, especially for material that costs almost nothing.

Design Links:
4-Way Stop - This is great for saturated rough if you have a piece that will work in the shape...
Be Still My Heart - Good in about any Quartz
CheckMate - Neat in medium color Quartz
Light House - Nice in any Quartz
Utopia - Classic Barion pear

Rough Links:
Quartz - Index of Quartz Rough
Amethyst -Maraba Amethyst from Brazilian, Bolivian Amethyst, Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Siberian Color" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Extra" & "Extra Fine" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points
Amethyst2 - Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Siberian Color" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Extra" & "Extra Fine" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points
Amethyst 3 - Large Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Siberian Color" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Extra" & "Extra Fine" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points
Ametrine - Bolivian Ametrine, Bolivian Ametrine preforms, Bolivian Ametrine sawed clean (large rough), Ametrine parcels
Citrine - Maraba Citrine crystal points, light gold Citrine, parcels of light gold Citrine, Madagascar Oxblood Citrine
Citrine2 - "Extra" Uruguayan Citrine crystal points (Uruguayan Irai)
Clear Quartz - Large Clear Quartz from Madagascar
Rose Quartz - Whispering Pines Rose Quartz from Newry (Maine, USA), Rose Quartz from Madagascar
Rose de France - Rose de France Amethyst, sawed Bolivian Rose de France Amethyst (huge Pieces)
Smokey Quartz - Smokey Citrine Quartz native cut crystals from Brazil, Smokey Citrine Quartz from Brazil

Bargain Links:
Amethyst Bargains

Return to Quartz Information Index

 

E-mail to inquire or order: jeff@faceters.com