Kunzite and Quartz: Locations and Markets

Kunzite. Spodumene, of the variety kunzite, comes from San Diego County, California.

Quartz Gems. Coming now to the quartz gems we find amethyst and citrine, or golden quartz widely distributed so that only the localities that furnish the better grades of these stones need be mentioned. Siberia and Uruguay furnish fine amethyst. Brazil also furnishes large quantities of very good quality.

Amethyst. The chief charm of the Siberian amethyst lies in its large red component, which enables it to change from a deep grapepurple by daylight to a fine red by artificial light that is rich in red rays, and poor in blue ones. The paler types of amethysts that were once esteemed, probably for lack of the rich deep variety, become gray in appearance and much less lovely under artificial light. India furnishes some amethysts, and papers of "fancy color stones" containing native cut gems from Ceylon, frequently contain amethysts, but Brazil, Uruguay, and Siberia furnish the great bulk of the stones that are regarded as choice to-day.

Yellow Quartz. Citrine or golden quartz comes mainly from Brazil. The "Spanish topaz" is sometimes the result of heating smoky quartz from Cordova province in Spain. Our own western mountains furnish considerable yellow and smoky quartz fit for cutting.