Rose quartz is a macrocrystalline variety of the mineral Quartz (SiO2) which exhibits a pale pink to rose red hue. Quartz is the most abundant single mineral on earth. It makes up about 12% of the earth's crust, occurring in a wide variety of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Unlike clear quartz, rose quartz grows in clusters generally instead of in points. 

The colour of rose quartz is still not completely understood. It has been said to be due to a number of different minor impurities present in the rose quartz including titanium, manganese and even colloidal gold. Others say that the pink colour of rose quartz is attributed to microscopic inclusions of a pink variety of the mineral dumortierite. These inclusions are usually abundant enough to make the rose quartz translucent instead of transparent.

Some rose quartz contains microscopic rutile needles which produce an asterism (star on the surface) in transmitted light. 

The first record of Rose Quartz crystals was at Mount Mica Quarry in about 1913-1915. However, Rose Quartz beads dating back to 7,000 BC have been found in the area once known as Mesopotamia (today's Iraq). Rose Quartz jewellery was known to be crafted by the Assyrians around 800-600 BC and the Romans used Rose Quartz as a seal to signify ownership. 

Egyptians believed the stone could prevent ageing and it’s said to have been used by Isis in an Egyptian legend, to help her maintain her youth and beauty. Indeed, rose quartz facial masks were reported to have been found in tombs in ancient Egypt, so it’s quite possible that the ancient Egyptians used this gem as some form of beauty treatment. It was also widely used in carvings in ancient Tibet and China and in early American cultures Rose Quartz amulets were worn to help balance emotions.