Druzy Quartz Types and Varieties

For most of us, Druzy Quartz Agate was the spark for developing a love for rocks and minerals. I remember going into stores with keepsakes and other interesting items and finding a small tub or basket full of these little geodes with polished edges. When you picked them up and moved them around in the light the inside of the geode came to life. It was almost like a completely different world in there.

The closer you looked at the geode the more interesting things you saw and the more you rotated the Druzy Quartz, the more it sparkled.

If you haven’t experienced Druzy Quartz before then here’s a basic primer. Druzy is a light coating of tiny crystals and grows on the exterior of another crystal or stone. More than likely you’ll find it on Agate, Chalcedony, Chrysocolla, Azurite, and a few other minerals. It forms a beautiful sparkling layer over the Microcrystalline Silica it’s made of.

Druzy Quartz or some people call it druzy might only be a coating of Quartz crystals but it packs a big punch. The razzle-dazzle of Druzy is where all of the attraction comes from and if you look really closely you’ll see tons of beautiful bits of reflected light as the stone is rotated.

 

Types of Druzy Quartz

There are various types of Druzy Quartz and the images below provide a glimpse into these crystal coatings on the outside of some popular stones. In some cases, the druzy grows inside of the stone which some rockhounds call vugs while larger cavities are called geodes.

 

 

Green Druzy Quartz

I’m not aware of naturally occurring green Quartz but you will see gem dealers call material green druzy Quartz from time to time. More than likely, you’re looking at Liebenthenite which is a rare copper phosphate hydroxide mineral that exhibits striking dark leafy-green crystals.

Uvarovite is another Green Druzy but it’s not part of the Quartz family instead it is a rare variety of Garnet. These gems almost always exhibit a beautifully vivid emerald-green hue because of their Chromium content. However, they’ll display a rusty-green color if it has high amounts of titanium.

 

 

Rainbow Druzy Quartz

Rainbow druzy quartz is actually a synthetic coating applied to the outside of the druzy crystals. This coating provides an iridescent effect and is typically seen in jewelry or small specimens purchased by novice collectors. You’d be surprised how many people believe these are natural when in fact they’re created by man. One thing to keep in mind is you need to be careful wearing the jewelry and cleaning the stones. The coating will come off.

 

 

Druzy Quartz Blue

Blue Chalcedony and Azurite are two varieties of Druzy Blue Quartz but you’ll want to remember that Azurite is not part of the Quartz family. Let’s focus on blue Chalcedony first and then we can tackle Azurite. Chalcedony comes in a rainbow of colors but the blue hue will be closer to a pastel color. These pieces are usually cut into freeform cabochons leaving the druzy crystals on the top of.

 

 

Azurite is a deep blue copper mineral that is highly sought after by rockhounds. Its rich blue color comes in many forms but collectors really go crazy for the large crystal clusters and the smaller druzy crystals on matrix.

There was a somewhat recent discovery of Azurite geodes in the U.S. and the material has made its way to the rock and mineral shows. The photo above does a good job of showing the size, color, and type of crystals hidden inside the nodules.

 

 

Druzy Quartz Geode

By far the most popular variety of druzy Quartz because it’s affordable and easily sourced. The interesting and beautiful sugar-like shimmer draws your eyes and captivates your mind. Add in some additional mineral crystals like in the photo above and you have a great piece to add to your collection.

These come in all different sizes and some will have a polished exterior. When purchasing one of these for yourself or a rock enthusiast make sure you don’t overpay. Some retailers love to overcharge for these specimens.

 

 

Black Druzy Quartz

Black druzy Quartz will catch your eye every time you come across a piece of it because of the contrast. You have bright sugar-like crystals on a jet-black background which is a great recipe for great-looking center stones in jewelry. There are currently two types of Black Druzy: Psilomelane and Onyx. Psilomelane Druzy is a beautifully rich, natural black metallic mineral similar to Hematite, and it’s covered with Druzy Quartz crystals. However, Black Onyx Druzy has both Quartz crystals and a matrix.

 

 

White Druzy Quartz

White Drusy Quartz looks like sparkly, shiny, white sugar crystals sprinkled over the surfaces of their host stones. The host stones are typically some type of Agate but can be other varieties. Regarding hardness, Druzy Quartz ranks 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale which makes it great for lapidary arts and jewelry.

 

 

Pink Druzy Quartz

Pink Colbalto-Calcite, also known as Cobaltoan Calcite, is what many of us know as Pink Druzy Quartz. The stones are a vibrant hot pink to reddish-purple color, and they’re found in the Kolwezi District in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

**The photo above is more than likely dyed. If you’re comparing your pink druzy Quartz to this example and it matches up then you probably have a dyed piece as well.

 

Druzy Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz is a variety of Quartz that gets its name from the beautiful, delicate pink color. Add in some druzy Quartz crystals on top of a rose Quartz matrix and you have yourself a nice specimen or great material for fashioning into jewelry. Please note, that the colors should be in the soft pink range to pastel, not vivid. If you have a vivid color then it has been enhanced or treated.

 

 

How To Clean Druzy Quartz

Because of the uneven texture of Druzy gems and jewelry, we can’t just wipe them down with a cloth like many other gemstones. Instead, we must create a gentle dish soap and distilled water mixture. There is no reason to use harsh chemicals on these beauties.

Simply soak the druzy in the soapy water mixture and rinse them with distilled water. If you have a raw stone, you can use a gentle bristled toothbrush to try and get a deeper clean but don’t scrub too hard. The secret is in the soaking.

Once the stone or jewelry piece is cleaned, gently pat it with a soft, dry cloth. If any remaining moisture is lingering, use a hair dryer to get the stones completely dry. While air drying is an option, it can leave a film or spots behind. Hence, it’s essential to dry it immediately after cleaning.

 

 

Natural Druzy Quartz

Natural Druzy Quartz forms on top of Agate like the ones you see below and is one of the most common types of druzy material. If you look closely you’ll notice each piece has been cut into a pedal or clover leaf shape because this material is great for creating unique druzy gemstones.

**Please note the image directly above is a great example of druzy Quartz with a blue film/treatment applied topically. You have natural druzy underneath but a coating on top to create the rich blue color.

Druzy Quartz on Agate is commonly found in shades of gray but can also be found in the shades mentioned above. From time to time you’ll come across material with black and brown Dendrite inclusions, these are incredibly rare.