Gemstones are often associated with expressing feelings and when it comes to expressing love and romance, there's no stone more powerful than Rose Quartz. The soft pink hue of this abundant gemstone has long-been associated with romance, and defined its reputation as the Love Stone for thousands of years.

There is more to the reputation of Rose Quartz amongst the gemstones of the world than its colour, though. It has enjoyed a rich history of ancient traditions and mythological beliefs, as we explore here:

Also known as the Crystal of Unconditional Love, Rose Quartz has roots in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology with the goddess of love, Aphrodite and Venus respectively. In fact, it is commonly referred to as an aphrodisiac to this day, so strong were its connections with love and sensuality in those times.

One story sees Aphrodite protecting her wounded lover, Adonis, by fighting Ares, but in doing so, she falls and wounds herself on a briar bush. As they lay together with open sores, the blood of Aphrodite and Adonis combined to colour some White Quartz pink - and thus the fusion of Rose Quartz as a symbol of unconditional love was brought into the mortal world.

Thanks to these ancient mythological stories, Rose Quartz has been believed to possess powerful qualities of love and healing in all those who come into contact with it. It has been part of romantic ceremonies and rituals for thousands of years and is thought to not only strengthen the bond between two people for eternity, but also to strengthen one's ability to love in the first place. Its healing properties teach us how to love ourselves first so that we can love others around us, which is why it has stood the test of time as one of the most desirable gemstones of the world.

The Ancient Egyptians also believed that the healing properties of the pink Love Stone were so powerful that they could actually prevent the development of wrinkles and the general effects of aging. Of course, the scientific proof might have been lacking back then, but the spiritual aura that Rose Quartz emits has clearly made its impression on human civilisations for many a year.

Rose Quartz's associations with creating love and inner beauty and removing negative thoughts and feelings are exactly what make it so fitting for meditative techniques. Indeed, in Hindu and Buddhist belief systems, it is closest to the heart chakra, which is where the spiritual and the physical meet.

It is particularly popular with single people looking for love because of the positive vibes it brings into life and its surroundings, so it is commonly adopted by people who want to find the peace of mind in themselves to find the right partner.

Holding it close to the heart in a literal sense during meditation is believed to bring a greater awareness of inner beauty and self-confidence to the beholder. Moreover, combining these sessions with rose petals and essential oils like jasmine or ylang-ylang can heighten the experience and stimulate the senses further still.

The mythological and spiritual associations that go along with Rose Quartz date back to 600 BC and it has been unearthed on practically every populated continent since then. Its most common sources have been Madagascar in Africa and South Dakota in the US, but it has also been mined for centuries in India, Brazil and Egypt, where Turquoise has also been incredibly abundant.

It can differ in colour depending on where it is sourced from and, for instance, how much titanium is present in the rock formation, but it is typically found in natural form with a soft pink appearance. This is what led to such strikingly similar belief systems around the gemstone in a number of different territories and, indeed, ages. Rose Quartz will forever be identified as the Love Stone no matter the source or real-world use in jewellery and meditation; its powers as the symbol of unconditional love have stood strong for so long that it is deeply ingrained in the world of natural beauty and romance.

SHOP ROSE QUARTZ JEWELLERY