Rhinestone

Ancient Greek philosophers believed that rock crystal is ice turned into stone. The regional name for rock crystal in the Carpathians was the term “dragomite” and its synonym “Marmarosh diamond” ^[1] .

Amethyst , citrine , rauchtopaz (smoky quartz ), morion , hairy , “ Venus hair” (with rutile inclusions).

“Marmarosh diamonds” are peculiar, transparent and very clean, well-formed, with two heads and a strong shine of the crystal. They were first discovered in 1855 in the Carpathian Mountains of the same name , and later in the Crimea and Yakutia . The size of the crystals is 1-12 mm, the shape is prismatic-dipyramidal. Marmaros diamonds can be used in jewelry without cutting.

Rhinestone is found mainly in the voids of hydrothermal veins , most industrial deposits and finds of large crystals are found in crystal-bearing veins of the “alpine type”. It is also found in the voids of pegmatite veins and contact-metamorphic deposits of various types. It is very common in sedimentary rocks , but does not form large crystals, but is in the form of crystalline brushes on the walls of cracks and in the form of geodes , mainly among limestones and in sedimentary-carbonate strata.
In Russia, there are large deposits in the Urals (Astafyevskoye, Matinskoye, Pelinguichy, Puyva and others), as well as in Yakutia ( Aldan shield ), Transbaikalia and Primorye.

Associated minerals: feldspars , mica , clay minerals , goethite , limonite , topaz , beryl , hematite , magnetite , chlorite , rutile , brookite , anatase , pyrite , calcite , native gold , etc.

Rhinestone is used in radio engineering to obtain ultrasonic vibrations, manufacturing prisms , spectrographs , and lenses . Rhinestone is used for the manufacture of jewelry and decorative and applied products, colored crystals of rock crystal are used as semiprecious stones.

Crystals of pure rock crystal of significant size are rare, so it is relatively expensive. An artificial material called “ crystal” is made by adding lead and barium oxide to ordinary glass . In trade, chandeliers, glasses, etc., made of artificial crystal, are often given out as objects made of natural stone.

Single crystals of rock crystal are grown in autoclaves on seeds, a piezoelectric crystal without defects weighing 2-3 kg can thus grow in a year. The addition of Ge increases, a Al reduces the refractive indices, Fe ²⁺ gives green, Fe ³⁺ - brown, Co - blue.

Antique Greeks and Romans carved seals, vessels, and ornaments from rock crystal. A. Fersman wrote that Nero had two beautiful goblets carved from perfectly transparent crystals. In summer, Roman patricians chilled their hands with rock crystal balls. Incendiary lenses were cut out of crystals, with the help of which the priests lit the fire on the altars with “divine fire”.

Perfect balls were made in China and Japan , many of which are exhibited in various museums around the world. So, in the US National Museum in Washington , a 327 mm diameter Chinese work ball is stored, close in shape to ideal.

In the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin there are various vessels made of rock crystal: Peter the Great's samovar, carved from a single piece of rock crystal, a barrel, a pepper shaker, a mug, a bowl, a “hand”, etc. A collection of glass crystal dishes is available at the Museum of the History of Art in Vienna The American Museum of Natural History in New York has a print of Russian work in the form of an Atlas , which holds the globe on its shoulders.
In Russia, XVIII — XIX centuries. snuffboxes, buttons, seals, church utensils were cut out of rock crystal.

In the novel “ Salambo ” G. Flaubert describes the Carthaginian temple, in which the crystal egg resting on a copper column plays a mystical role. The Greek poet Onomacritus (V century BC) believed that the gods could not refuse a man if he came to the temple, holding rock crystal in his hands. Roman doctors at the beginning of our era used rock crystal balls as "incendiary glasses" for cauterizing wounds.

Once in Europe, rhinestone was called the "Arabian" or "Bohemian diamond."

In Japan, rhinestone was considered the frozen breath of a dragon.

In Zoroastrianism, it was believed that the sky consists of rock crystal. According to legend, the gods drink ragweed only from crystal goblets. The purity and transparency of rock crystal has become a symbol of modesty and purity of thoughts, a talisman that strengthens oath agreements.

In medieval mysticism (and in modern extrasensory perception ) rock crystal is “ Magic Crystal ”.

• Crystal

• Rhinestone Photos, Description, Deposits
• Rhinestone and other varieties of quartz.