Rock crystal, also referred to as colorless quartz, has been around for years and has been used as a gem stone for ornamental carvings and chandeliers because of its beauty, affordability, and availability. Some cultures associate rock crystal with healing and protection, and the Native Americans use its power to bring rain because of its strong connection with water. A cheap alternative to diamonds, it has also been used in jewelry. As much as I love diamonds (come on – what girl doesn’t?) I really love the look of rock crystal jewelry because it looks less manufactured, more organic, and I love all the little visible imperfections that gives each crystal its own unique personality. Natural, organic shapes and variations in nature are to be celebrated as opposed to shunned. (Think of the recent driftwood trend…)

Although the demand for traditional chandeliers outfitted with rock crystal has lost its popularity to today’s more contemporary styling, the demand for rock crystal in lighting is still there, but in updated styles with less facets and less carvings – in simpler shapes, or even in its natural state as clusters (again, here we are, going back to the more natural state, where variations in nature are considered desirable)

Some might argue that rock crystal has seen its day, but with the popularity of brass and gold coming back, rock crystal will definitely be a hot commodity in the upcoming year, as there is nothing more beautiful than rock crystal paired with a wax finished brass with a soft patina in the home, or with gold to be worn as jewelry.