Gold Quartz
The gold-enriched quartz from the Original 16 to 1 mine has extraordinary white quartz and gold patterns. The specimens are cut into elegant inlay and cabochon stones and set in 14-karat gold. All the nuggets used in our jewelry are natural Placer Gold nuggets; the accent diamonds are standard SI (slightly imperfect) quality and GH (near-colorless) in color.
Gold is formed in quartz deposits in the earth. When erosion takes place, exposed veins of gold break off and wash into rivers and streams. The movement of the water tumbles the gold against sand and rocks, forming the natural gold nugget. This gives each nugget its texture, shape and character. Natural gold is found by miners and left in its original form. Because the sand and rocks dull the nuggets, a slight cleaning is desired to bring out the brilliant color of gold, which averages 22kt (90%) pure.
Gold quartz is formed when both natural gold and quartz combine in a molten state and are untouched by erosion. Sometimes, when the solidify, the quartz is white with a rare gold dispersion; when this happens, an exquisite piece of jewelry can be created. The white quartz rock is cut into slabs to expose the veins of gold. Each slab is then hand-cut and polished into specific designs to enhance the natural flow of the gold, ensuring that every gold quartz gemstone is one of a kind.
