Rutilated quartz is the union of two geological formations to create a new gemstone, pale quartz stones shot through with inclusions of golden-hue rutile crystals. In its base form, quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth, composed of the two most common elements, oxygen and silicon. On its own, quartz is a dull colored, but when formed along rutile crystals, the mineral transforms into a striking gemstone: rutilated quartz.

This pendant is a piece of rutilated quartz, which shows streaks of the gold-colored crystals within. Each gemstone holds a unique interplay of the base quartz with the rutile inclusions, creating striking patterns never to be repeated again.

The rutilated quartz crystal is backed by a sterling silver prong and includes an 18" chain as well. Each item is shipped in a padded black jewelry box, along with an informational authenticity card.

Every pendant is a unique crystal formation and all have been photographed and listed individually by size. See all available rutilated quartz pendants in the collection below!

Rutile is an accessory mineral, usually found embedded in metamorphic rocks from high-pressure and high-temperature areas. The mineral’s crystal transforms into its needle-like crystals in lower to medium-grade metamorphism, often within quartz veins. Hydrothermal vents are a common site of rutilated quartz, where the heat and energy from the fissures help facilitate the mineral's formation.

Such hydrothermal rutile formations can be found along fissures that formed under tectonic stress, such as the formations in the Swiss Alps. Here, it is known by many names: Venus’s Hair Stone, Fleches D’amour, Cupid’s Darts—all poetry for the beautiful gold-colored rutile needles found embedded in the quartz.

Beyond its beauty, rutilated quartz has been found to have a number of scientific applications. Though rutile and quartz are in chemical equilibrium, their respective oxygen isotopes can become fractionated under heat and pressure, allowing the stone to act as a kind of thermometer for past geological processes. Coupled with their presence near hydrothermal vents, rutilated quartz can be used to speculate on the formation and activity of long-dead volcanic fissures.

Outside the laboratory, rutilated quartz can be found adorning necklaces, earrings, and other pieces of jewelry. Though it is now one of the most popular inclusion-based gemstones, this craze was slow to evolve. Renowned gem cutter Michael Dyber was one of the first to appreciate the gemstone’s quality at a time when clean-cut solid-colored gems dominated the market. Now rutilated quartz and other included gemstones are all the rage.

Gem cutters like Dyber were attracted to rutilated quartz expressly because of its unique formations. The quartz’s rutile needles usually form in random patterns, but occasionally these crystal formations are oriented by the quartz matrix in three distinct directions at right angles to the c-axis. This formation creates fantastic patterns across the quartz, while still being utterly unique to each gem.