This naturally sparkling gemstone is mesmerising, whether dyed or left in its natural colour.
For many years I avoided selling this gemstone, as I felt that its appearance was so different to other gems and so loud in its outward look, that many customers when seeing it set in jewellery for the first time, would immediately jump to the conclusion that it was fake! However, other than the fact the gem is often treated to provide or improve its colour, the physical appearance of the gem is totally natural.
Drusy is not a facetable gemstone, but has an appearance of broken sugar cubes attached onto the surface of a stone. The gem formed millions of years ago when flowing hot water carrying dissolved silica was forced into gaps between rocks. If the hot chemical cocktail was cooled rapidly then groups of small crystals were occasionally formed. The gem’s full name depends on which rocks these small crystals were resting on as they formed. Drusy Quartz is the most well known of all Drusy gems and you can often find it attached to either Amethyst or Citrine.
From Brazil we can also find Drusy Agate, Drusy Carnelian (a gorgeous orangish yellowish colour) and Drusy Chalcedony.
There are also many different spellings for the name within the gem industry: if you see Druse, Druzy or Drusies, they all refer to a thin layer of small Quartz crystals, attached to another mineral.
Crystal Healers have used the gemstone for centuries believing that it will give you increased energy and lead you to a perfectly balanced life. Others believe that it provides the wearer with extra sensory perception. Why is Drusy normally very expensive? The answer to this lies in the fact that the rough rock where the Drusy forms is normally round and geode-like in shape, therefore trying to cut out a piece where the base is reasonably flat results in a lot of waste. It’s not uncommon to have yields as low as 5 or 6%.
