Crystal Quartz Gemstone Beads

Frequently asked questions

• What is crystal quartz, and is it the same as clear quartz?

  Yes — crystal quartz, clear quartz, and rock crystal are three names for the same material: colorless transparent silicon dioxide (SiO₂), the same crystal chemistry that underlies amethyst, citrine, smoky quartz, and rose quartz. The difference between those colored varieties and crystal quartz is trace-element coloration; crystal quartz is the end-member without the coloring elements. Older lapidary literature uses "rock crystal"; the bead trade today uses "crystal quartz" and "clear quartz" interchangeably.
• How do I tell crystal quartz from glass?

  Four signals. Hardness: quartz is Mohs 7 and resists scratching from a steel blade; typical soda-lime glass is Mohs 5.5 and scratches more easily. Density: quartz is heavier in hand than glass beads of the same size. Temperature: quartz feels cooler to the touch than glass. Internal character: natural quartz almost always shows some internal veiling, included needles, healed fractures, or milky zones — perfectly uniform inclusion-free beads at unusually low price points are often glass. The most reliable signal is buying from a supplier that sources known-quartz material.
• Is crystal quartz treated or dyed?

  All disclosed Dakota crystal quartz strands are tagged Natural — the colorless transparency is intrinsic to the rough. No dye, no heat, no coating produces the clear quartz look; what comes out of the ground is what gets cut and polished. Treatment, when present on any specific strand — ask before buying if it isn't specified. Coated quartz varieties ("aura quartz," "angel aura," "titanium quartz") are catalogued separately with explicit coating disclosure and do not appear under this collection.
• Why does my crystal quartz have veils or cloudy spots inside?

  That's natural quartz character. Crystal quartz forms in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites over geological time scales; internal veils, growth lines, healed fractures, and milky zones are the signature of natural rough. Designers familiar with the material read these as authenticity markers, not defects. Perfectly clear, inclusion-free beads at low prices are more often glass substitutes than premium quartz. Within a single strand, bead-to-bead variation in clarity and inclusions is normal.
• What sizes and cuts does Dakota carry?

  Active crystal quartz inventory centers on 8mm rounds, with 6mm and 10mm rounds also well-stocked. 4mm and 7mm rounds round out the smaller-end size selection; 7x8mm rondelles appear in select listings. Round is the dominant cut; faceted and rondelle variants are stocked in selected sizes. Full size and cut availability is filterable in the grid above; designers replenishing an existing design can confirm exact strand specifications on each listing.