Hematite included Quartz (''Strawberry Quartz'')

Item Description

Here we have a lovely "Oval Cabochon" gemstone consisting of two separate components. This would ordinarily be a simple colorless Quartz gem were it not for the bright red, fibrous inclusions of Hematite (originally it was reported to be Lepidocrocite) inside of it. Lepidocrocite and Hematite are both iron oxide which can form in slender, acicular or "needle-like", bright red crystals (typically as inclusions inside of Quartz). This particular material is sometimes referred to as "strawberry quartz". The distinguishing factor for these stones that separates the good from the great is the color of the inclusions. Typically the inclusions are a brownish-red color and not red like the inclusions in this stone.