The Encyclopedia · Stones & materials
Smoky quartz
A brown to grey variety of quartz, transparent and often found in large sizes.
Because it is available in big, clean stones, smoky quartz suited the bold cocktail jewelry of the 1940s and the sculptural gold of the 1970s.
What to look for
Much smoky quartz on the market has been irradiated to create or deepen its colour. Large stones should be clean to the eye and well cut, without a dark, lifeless centre.
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