Quartz
The most common gem mineral, covering amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, smoky quartz and clear rock crystal.
Quartz is 7 on the Mohs scale, hard enough for everyday wear and cheap enough to be cut in any size.
Its varieties are named by colour: purple is amethyst, yellow is citrine, pink is rose quartz, grey to brown is smoky.
Clear rock crystal is sphatik, used for malas and prayer beads as well as jewellery.
When you are buying
Quartz beads are the workhorse spacer in pearl jewellery: hard, inexpensive, available in every colour, and heavy enough to give a strand some drape.
Pearls with quartz
18 pieces in the collection right now, from ₹2,700.
Dainty Pearl Earrings Featuring Mother Of Pearl Flowers & Ruby Pink Quartz
Trendy Pearl Necklace in Pearls and Rose Quartz
Dainty Peach Pearls With Purple Garnet Beads Necklace
Radiant 4mm -8mm Graduated White Pearl Necklace With Citrine Quartz Silver Pendant
Radiant 19 Inches White Pearls Necklace With SP Purple Garnet Beads
Lovely White Pearls Triple-line Choker With Pink Quartz & Polki Pendant
Luxurious 23 Inches White Pearls With Purple Garnet Beads Necklace
Striking Blue Pearl Necklace With Oxidized Polki Pendant & Grey Onyx
Amethyst
The purple variety of quartz. Affordable, widely available, and hard enough for everyday wear.
Citrine
The yellow to orange variety of quartz. Most of it is heat-treated amethyst, and it is often mis-sold as yellow sapphire.
Semi-Precious
A commercial label for every gemstone outside diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald. Not a measure of quality.
Spacer
A small bar with several holes that keeps the rows of a multi-line necklace parallel and untangled.
Japa Mala
A string of 108 beads used for counting mantra repetitions, with a larger guru bead marking the start.