How to Decide Which Rocks to Keep While Panning Gemstone Quartz
With a hammer and a bit of time, anyone can discover a pretty quartz stone, but most people looking for gem-quality quartz know it takes a little more to get the goods. It can be found in chips and flakes, or in much larger, valuable crystalline structures. When panning for gemstone quartz rocks, deciding which ones to keep can be difficult. Using the "four-C's" (carat, clarity, cut, and color) is a good way to begin.
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Instructions
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Clean your stones with mild soap and warm water. Use a gem scale to weigh your quartz stone in carats. The larger a stone is, the higher the carats it will be, and the more expensive it will become.
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Note the color of the quartz. "Water-clear" quartz is more valuable. Quartz can also come in many other colors or patterns. The type of quartz gemstone you find will dictate whether it should be colorless, or should have a vibrant, pastel, dark, light or pure hue.
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Look at the quartz. With gems, "clarity" requires you to look at the inner flaws and how the facets sparkle, but quartz is different. Notice the transparency instead. If the crystals go from cloudy at the base to clear at the tip, the quartz is worth more than if the entire thing is cloudy.
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Look at the way the crystals grow. Major flaws or cracks within the crystals decrease the value. External fractures created by the mining process rather than nature decrease the value. Small chips and flaws are acceptable.
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Look at the luster. As with the traditional idea of "clarity," if the light reflects well from the natural facets, the rough crystal is worth more. The final cut utilizes the natural luster for spectacular results.
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Check for the matrix (what the crystals are growing out of). The less there is, the more valuable the crystal will be unless the quartz is meant to stay as it is. If no matrix exists, check the breakage point. A natural break will flow along natural fault lines.
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Look at the quartz rock. If it attracts your eye, then others will feel the same. Look at the shape, the clarity, and any deformities that may exist. Aesthetics helps choose which rocks and rough gemstones to keep.
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Tips & Warnings
Your preferences should always come first when deciding what to keep.
Research the going rates for quartz, both in bulk and individually, before the sale.
"Cut" is usually reserved for judging the final product and includes inclusions, faceting, windows, and brilliance. Use the term "condition" instead, with some of the traditional "clarity" aspects, to make your decision with quartz.
Inclusions of other minerals, or even quartz within the quartz itself, are worth more to collectors as-is.
Always take your gemstones to a professional gemologist if you mean to have them graded, even in the rough. They can give you the final verdict on anything you find.
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