The facts
What strawberry Quartz actually is
Strawberry Quartz is classified as quartz with lepidocrocite/hematite inclusions, with the composition SiO₂ + lepidocrocite inclusions. It crystallises in the trigonal system.
Colour comes from red platelets of lepidocrocite or hematite suspended in colourless quartz, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.544–1.553. Specific gravity around 2.65. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where strawberry Quartz comes from
Strawberry Quartz is produced at Jacobina, Bahia, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Mexico.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How strawberry Quartz is treated
Genuine material is untreated. A very large proportion of 'strawberry quartz' sold online is pink-red glass with glitter or dyed quartzite — check for gas bubbles and swirl.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What strawberry Quartz is confused with
In the trade strawberry Quartz is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Glass with inclusions, Goldstone, Dyed quartz or Rose quartz.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.544–1.553 and specific gravity 2.65 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What strawberry Quartz is used for
Demand for strawberry Quartz comes from jewellery, mineral collecting, decorative objects and wellness and body care, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the specimen or by the piece.
Durability and care
Hardness 7; cleavage none. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What strawberry Quartz costs
As a guide, strawberry Quartz trades around $2–30/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is strawberry Quartz treated, and how?
Genuine material is untreated. A very large proportion of 'strawberry quartz' sold online is pink-red glass with glitter or dyed quartzite — check for gas bubbles and swirl.
Where does strawberry Quartz come from?
Jacobina, Bahia, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Mexico. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is strawberry Quartz hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 7 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does strawberry Quartz cost?
Indicatively $2–30/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is strawberry Quartz confused with?
Most often Glass with inclusions, Goldstone, Dyed quartz and Rose quartz. A refractive index of 1.544–1.553 and a specific gravity near 2.65 separate it quickly.
What is strawberry Quartz used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting, decorative objects and wellness and body care. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for strawberry quartz?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about strawberry quartz