Also known as quartz milk or milk diamond, milky quartz is certainly the most common form of quartz. Quartz crystals are cleansing, soothing stones that tend to influence one physically and spiritually. Milky quartz is no exception.
Indeed, it is known to amplify the energy of almost all stones. Sounds interesting, right? Let’s find out more about this quartz crystal.
Meaning
Milky quartz refers to a composite crystal boasting several meanings. For several healers, the primary meaning of this stone is purity, along with the age of innocence.
Being milky white in color, many tend to compare its physical look to that of the initial snowfall post-winter solstice. Healers believe that this crystal is as pure as the puffs of ice coming from the sky during the snowfall.
The innocence of this crystal is proficient enough to extend itself to several facets of your life. The most important facet is your approach to complex situations to which this stone adds its power.
According to the healers, the stone works here by purifying the mind such that you do not explore the creation with biased opinions or prejudices. It removes biases and keeps them away from the surfacing. Even the deeply rooted beliefs in your psyche are removed, so that you can approach anything with a fresh vision.
A few practitioners consider milky quartz as a robust information crystal. Some of them have tagged this stone as majestic quartz or wisdom quartz. This meaning comes from its competency in storing information.
Scientists have recently found how to store useful data in those small gas bubbles that are a part of this crystal’s composition. This is why healers say that milky quartz can spread wisdom to the masses!
It is true that milky quartz is not as popular quartz as other varieties. However, this has not disturbed its journey to being a significant symbol in various cultures throughout the ancient era.
In ancient Japan, the milky appearance of this stone signified the white dragon’s breath. There was a solid connection to this powerful mythological creature, and it was looked upon as the epithet of perfection!
The aborigines of ancient Australia took its look more literally. They considered it an important tool for rituals for pleasing the gods for rains. While there are more modern civilizations these days, many continue to have faith in these powers.
Properties
Physical Properties
Milky quartz is any quartz cluster that is white and cloudy and found mostly near rock crystals. The cloudy white look has given this crystal its name. The cloudiness comes from minuscule inclusions of gas and/or fluids enclosed in the crystal from the early phase of the crystal growth.
From a pessimistic outlook, these inclusions have prevented this stone from being used for several purposes for which quartz crystals are otherwise used, which are optic and gemstone applications. Yes, milky quartz is hardly used as a gemstone.
Nevertheless, it is used in several fine ornamental carvings. The fluid inclusions can render it a stunning greasy luster, which other quartz varieties do not have.
Milky quartz is believed to have been developed at an initial stage of the crystal’s evolution. A later development stage of clear quartz is known to encompass the milky quartz.
This has resulted in apparently a crystal inside a crystal, with the inner crystal likely to reflect a ghostly look. This look is also named phantom. Its stunning greasy luster gives it charm and a milky, ghostly appearance.
The distinct white finish is attributed to the formation process. This stone is a mineral in the form of crystalline silica. Most of this silica is transformed into solid quartz, just as in other similar rocks.
Nevertheless, small bubbles of gas and water disordered the process and rendered the opaque finish, which several of us admire. Milky quartz is typically found in massive clusters. In the Huachuca mountains, it is also found as a filling material in mineral veins.
As inclusions affect the crystal growth, the crystals of milky quartz crystals are typically paired and distorted at times. They usually exhibit a hexagonal prism and rhombohedral faces but have no accessorial faces.
This stone is quite distinct as compared to other quartz stones. You will hardly find a transparent luster or sparkling finish. Rather, it boasts a translucent to the opaque surface with foggy haze. Like whirls of milk floating through the clear water, this stone features a murky look that only strengthens its mysterious nature.
Just as any other quartz, milky quartz gains a hardness rating of 7 on the Mohs scale, due to which it can scratch even a glass surface. It has no cleavage and breaks with a conchoidal to irregular fracture.
Metaphysical Properties
When it is a matter of metaphysical properties, this crystal has a lot to offer. It is not as specialized as others. Although this may seem like a limitation, it paves the way for a world of possibilities!
This crystal is the best recommendation when it comes to looking within yourself. It is powerful enough to inspire you to perceive the world via the eyes of a child! The stone is known to make you recall that wonder and magic always surround you.
You can feel an improved sense of appreciation for whatever you have and who you are with this stone. It is also known to introduce clarity to your mind so that you can do your work effortlessly as well as confidently.
This crystal is believed to affect your full metaphysical body. It is said to activate all the chakras and introduce total harmony to your life. The metaphysical properties and meaning of this stone tend to boost the flow of life force energy throughout the body.
It is known to transfer the energy from Mother Earth and assures that each chakra is open to feel true bliss emotionally as well as spiritually. Despite the comprehensive metaphysical appeal, a few healers believe in a special connection of this stone with the crown chakra.
Also known as the Sahasrara chakra, the crown chakra is at the top of the seven points of energy. However, many meditators or healers tend to overlook this chakra in favor of a few lower ones.
Nevertheless, milky quartz influences this spiritual connector positively and makes you connect to a higher consciousness state to get otherworldly messages. If blocked, this chakra can deeply impact the way you think and make you feel off for novel ideas.
Rather than inviting knowledge and enlightenment, you will go away from them. However, milky quartz enables you to think in new ways and opens the door to the spiritual journey.
Where to buy Milky Quartz
Usually Etsy or Amazon is a good idea. Etsy is the leading online global marketplace of handmade, vintage, and creative goods. Amazon is one of the largest global online marketplaces. Both of them are reliable and easy to find your favorite items there.
Milky Quartz in jewelry uses
Milky quartz is unique due to its vitreous luster, clarity, and absence of metallic inclusions contributing to its colorless (colors except milky white) appearance.
There is a variation of this stone, which is named prince milky quartz, the purest variety due to no impurities and gleam of water. These physical properties make this small stone ideal for adorning beautiful jewels.
Due to its high hardness rating, milky quartz is used in making different types of jewelry such as bracelets, stud earrings, necklaces, pendants, and engagement rings. Smooth beads are used to design great earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.
On the other hand, its natural points and clusters are used for making stunning and robust healing pendants. This stone is widely used in crystal healing jewelry.
The greatest value of milky quartz beads is likely to be their cloudy, semi-translucent quality. This is what makes them ideal for pairing with a myriad of other gemstones. These beads, for the eyes, trigger a relaxing place amongst the bold colors, complex patterns, and intricate layers. At times, it quietly complements the charm of other gemstones in the jewelry.
There is something unusual about the charm and versatility of these beads, which the gold prospectors tend to value. They tend to keep their eyes on this crystal quartz while looking for gold, as the gold in need is surprisingly attached to this stone.
Much of the vein milky quartz usually bears gold. Such specimens having gold grains have been cut as cabochons or plates, probably as souvenirs of the quarrying camps.
Do you know that milky quartz is often engraved for cameos and intaglios? A cameo is a jewelry piece in oval shape having a carved profile portrait or a scene in a background relief of a different color. Intaglio refers to a recessed picture carved into the stone’s rear, exactly the reverse of a cameo in which it projects from the front.
No matter which jewelry you choose, milky quartz introduces a soft, womanlike touch to it.
Where does Milky Quartz come from
Milky quartz is available in abundance. It is mostly found in mines across the globe. A few largest deposits of this stone are found in Brazil, Madagascar, India, and in the American states of Arizona and Arkansas. You can also find them in Canada, Austria Germany, France, Switzerland, and Poland.
How much is Milky Quartz worth
As milky quartz is not that popular, it is in less demand in the market. Thus, it is not an expensive type of quartz. It is rather more affordable than purple, pink, and smokey quartz crystals. There are a couple of factors that determine the price of milky quartz.
First is clarity, which refers to the level of transparency to light. As this stone is milky from tip to base, its price is less than those stones that are transparent. A crystal-clear stone is perhaps the most expensive one in terms of clarity.
The second is color. A stone will be more valuable if its color makes it a rare specimen and is quite attractive. As the color of this stone is milky white, it is not expensive. Even if there is no color (not milky though) but is rare, the stone is likely to be valuable.
The third is size or carat which applies to both rare and abundant crystals. As a rule of thumb, the bigger the stone or cluster is, the higher its price. You will end up paying more for a cluster similar to the size of a coffee table than the one you can hold in your hand!
Fourth comes flaws that can be internal or external. A stone with natural flaws such as cracks or fractures internally is valuable. However, it is more affordable than a completely flawless one. External flaws are usually induced during handling and are in the form of dings, chips, and cracks.
Miner’s breakage decreases the value of a stone, particularly if it is on the crystal’s tip or termination. Obviously, a stone without breakage is more valuable than the one having some type of breakage. At times, if the damaged portion is removable, the stone’s value rises significantly.
How to use Milky Quartz
This quartz is a durable stone that is versatile enough to be used for a variety of uses. The easiest as well as the most accessible form of this stone is loose rock. While polished specimens are ideal as collector’s items, they also fulfill a practical purpose.
Tumbled minerals are ideal pocket rocks. You can consider keeping a tumbled milky quartz crystal in your purse or pocket for enjoying incessant protection along with a memento of its meaning. Holding it in your hand can guide you when you need emotional healing and purification.
In addition, these small cuts are ideal if you want to meditate. Just apply them to any obstructed chakra to experience its positive influence or simply hold them in your hand while meditating. Reflect on your thoughts and catch hold of the hope and innocence required to proceed.
Placing this stone on the third eye is likely to take you out of your past life constraints and mental manias. Doing so will also boost the healing power and improve your progress.
If you use this stone in pair with hemimorphite, the crystal is likely to take you into your center deeply to fortify your personal as well as spiritual power.
If you are interested in using more stunning or trendy forms of milky quartz, consider wearing its jewelry. The crystal looks attractive in necklaces, pendants, and beaded bracelets.
When used by wearing a piece of jewelry, the stone constantly heals you. This is because it remains near to the body, due to which it purifies your aura uninterruptedly! This also applies to decorative pieces. The crystal is often in use for making trinkets and statues.
When kept in a room of your home, the stone is known to fill the area with pure energy. You can feel the benefit of this energy whenever you enter. Several of us put this crystal near computers and laptops at the time of working. This is due to the belief that its energies can defend one from radiation.
How to cleanse Milky Quartz
To cleanse a milky quartz stone, just put it and gently rub it underwater to discard any blockages and then polish it using a soft dry cloth.
As this crystal is fairly hard, you can cleanse it using an ultrasonic cleaner. However, steam cleaning is not suggested, as any quartz is likely to undergo color change upon heating. It is wise to store this quartz in a dark and cool place, as in sunlight, it is likely to lose its color due to light as well as heat.
For charging it, you can leave it under the full moonlight or involve it in a smudging session (white sage smoke) to discard old energies and reintroduce the new energies.
The best combination to use with Milky Quartz
As there is more than one meaning of milky quartz, it is compatible with a variety of crystals. For obtaining a calming and soothing experience, consider using milky quartz with lepidolite, blue lace agate, moonstone, Picasso stone, goldstone, petalite, bloodstone, blue chalcedony, or hematite.
You can even pair it with other stones such as smoky quartz, howlite, dioptase, and dravite. If you wish to attract more good fortune or luck, pair your milky quartz stone with rainbow moonstone, apache tears, tree agate, orange moss agate, sunstone, tiger iron, or hemimorphite.
Tagged as a robust meditation aid, milky quartz is believed to make you go deeper during meditation when paired with some other stones. These stones are selenite, celestite, clear quartz, aquamarine, yellow quartz, tsavorite, or labradorite.
Want to strengthen your immune system? Interestingly, pairing this crystal with other stones can help. Consider using black tourmaline, picture jasper, topaz, chrysoprase, smithsonite, malachite, or lapis lazuli.
Combining it with beryl (carry or wear) will trigger an experience of pure wonder. This is also responsible for preventing anything that averts you from doing so.
Final Words
The milky white beauty and power of milky quartz make it a popular choice for collectors, crystal healers, and jewelry, and other buyers. Switching to this crystal whenever there is a feeling of unbalanced energies is likely to restore the balance. This crystal is an excellent healing aid to restore your energies, clear your mind, and deepen your reflective/introspective experience.
