Ancient Greeks believed that rose quartz got its distinctive pink color from the blood spilt by Aphrodite trying to save her lover, Adonis, after he was attacked by the God Ares. Another Greek myth has Cupid and Eros bringing rose quartz to humankind to inspire love and desire. The Egyptians, believing that Isis maintained her divine youth and beauty through the crystal, made facial masks of it which have been found in their ancient tombs. Tibetan and Chinese cultures, too, used rose crystal for tokens of love. It is truly the stone of the heart.
Formed millions of years ago, quartz crystals are made when silicon and oxygen from molten magma or hydrothermal waters are squeezed under extreme geologic pressure. Rose quartz is unique in that it only occurs in what is called massive form, meaning it doesn’t have the points and faces associated with most crystals. It gets its soft, marbled pink color from inclusions of titanium, iron, manganese, or rutile.
Rose Quartz embodies the energy of love in all its forms. It helps attract love and intimacy or strengthen the bonds that already exist. It nurtures, heals, and soothes with motherly love and inspires love of beauty and the arts. It heals wounds to the heart, both physical and emotional, provides happy dreams, prevents gossip in the workplace, and is a very powerful aphrodisiac.