Gold layer
Top
14k Gold-Filled
Up to 15% of total weight
Gold-Plated
Ultra-thin layer
Ships in 2–3 working days
14-day right of withdrawal
Julia and about 11.500+ Nature lovers love & trust ByCarola.
Handcrafted · Signature Collection
Teardrop Smoky Quartz Necklace
Genuine smoky quartz · handmade
incl. VAT, plus shipping
-
- 925 sterling silver or 14K gold-filled
- Fine box chain, your choice of 45 cm (17.7 in) or 40 cm (15.7 in)
- Stone size: about 8 to 10 mm
- Pendant and chain are water-resistant
- Each teardrop is one of a kind, strung by hand
Handmade in Germany
Stone From Brazil
In stock
Real & color treated
Lumière very good
With you in 3–6 working days (DE)
Real customer photos
Thousands of happy customers since 2019
The Stone: Smoky Quartz from the Quartz Family
Smoky quartz is the brown variety of the mineral quartz, made of silicon dioxide with the formula SiO2. Its color doesn't come from a dye but from tiny traces of aluminum in the crystal lattice. When ionizing radiation hits them, color centers form, which absorb part of the light and make the stone look smoky gray to deep brown. The stone on this necklace is genuine and color-treated. Its color formed the same way as in nature, only in a much shorter time. With a Mohs hardness of 7, quartz is durable and suited to everyday wear. In the trade, very dark stones are sold under the name morion.
Material and Craftsmanship
You can choose between 925 sterling silver and warm 14K gold-filled for your necklace. 14K gold-filled is a real, thick layer of gold that is firmly bonded to a base metal. Unlike simple gold plating, which is applied only wafer-thin, wears off over time, and fades fairly quickly, 14K gold-filled keeps its warm gold tone for years. The smoky quartz is cut into a teardrop, polished, and drilled, then selected by hand and strung individually. It hangs on a fine box chain whose square links interlock closely and hold the teardrop calmly in the center. You choose the length when you order: 45 cm (17.7 in) or 40 cm (15.7 in).
Meaning of the Stone
In Scotland, smoky quartz has been called cairngorm for centuries, after the Cairngorm Mountains in the Highlands, and it is considered the national stone there. Highlanders set it in brooches, kilt pins, and dagger hilts, and Pliny the Elder called the very dark pieces morion. By tradition, it stands for calm, grounding, and protection, which still makes it a down-to-earth and personal gift today.
Caring for Your Smoky Quartz Necklace
The pendant and box chain are water-resistant and made for everyday wear. To make your necklace last as long as possible, you should still avoid prolonged contact with salt water and chlorinated water, as well as perfume, lotions, and harsh cleaning products. After swimming in the ocean or a pool, it's best to rinse the necklace with clean water and dry it carefully.
Keep smoky quartz out of ultrasonic cleaners and the sauna, because from about 200°C (392°F) its color begins to lighten. It's also best to avoid very long periods of direct sunlight. Store the necklace dry and apart from harder pieces of jewelry, and its polish and color will stay as beautiful as on the first day.
From the quartz family
Smoky quartz is the brown variety of the mineral quartz, chemically silicon dioxide, with a Mohs hardness of 7.
Color through radiation
Traces of aluminum and ionizing radiation form color centers in the crystal lattice, which make the stone appear smoky brown.
National stone of Scotland
Smoky quartz from the Scottish Cairngorm massif is called Cairngorm and is still considered the national stone of Scotland today.
Traditionally, smoky quartz stands for calm, grounding and protection. In Scotland it is called Cairngorm and is considered the national stone that Highlanders have worn in brooches and kilt pins for centuries.
100% genuine smoky quartz, color-treated
- 925 sterling silver or 14K gold-filled
- Fine box chain, your choice of 45 cm (17.7 in) or 40 cm (15.7 in)
- Stone size: about 8 to 10 mm
- Pendant and chain are water-resistant
- Each teardrop is one of a kind, strung by hand
The Lumière Factor is my transparent assessment of each stone's play of light. Each stone is rated in 4 categories of 0 to 25 points.
This is how it is evaluated
- Transparency · How clearly does light pass through the stone? Cloudiness, inclusions, cloud formation. (max. 25)
- Color depth · Saturation and vibrancy, dull versus bright, cool versus warm. (max. 25)
- Surface Integrity · Natural shape without chips, intact edges. (max. 25)
- liveliness · Sparkle and movement in daylight and candlelight. (max. 25)
0-60
Basic
61-75
Good
76-89
Very good
90-100
Exceptional
This necklace
Very good
Transparency
23 / 25
Clearly translucent with a glassy sheen
Color depth
21 / 25
Warm smoky brown with a lighter gradient
Surface Integrity
23 / 25
Smoothly polished teardrop shape, clean bore
liveliness
21 / 25
Light travels visibly through the stone
In total
88 / 100
Germany
3–6 working days
€4.95 · free shipping from €150
Worldwide
5–10 working days
from €6.95 · Europe free from €170
- Handmade for you in 2 to 3 working days, then shipped with DHL and tracking
- Carefully packed in the Handmade Art gift box
- USA €35, rest of the world €10 shipping
Yes, the stone is genuine smoky quartz, and its color has been treated. For smoky quartz this is the usual practice on the market: colorless or pale quartz is irradiated, which creates the same color centers that form in nature. The stone remains a natural stone, the color is stable in everyday wear, and the treatment does not make it radioactive. I name the treatment openly so you know what you're wearing.
Tiny traces of aluminum sit in the quartz lattice in place of silicon. When ionizing radiation hits them, electrons shift and so-called color centers form, which absorb part of the light. This makes the stone look smoky gray to deep brown. In nature, the weak radiation of the surrounding granite does this, though over millions of years.
You choose the length as an option when you order. 45 cm (17.7 in) is the classic length and falls softly onto the neckline, while 40 cm (15.7 in) sits higher on the neck and highlights the collarbone. The teardrop is drilled and glides on the fine box chain, whose square links fit tightly together. This way the stone settles in the center on its own.
14K gold-filled is the higher-quality choice, and that's exactly why I only offer 14K gold-filled. Gold-plated jewelry has just a wafer-thin layer of gold on top, which wears off over time and fades faster. 14K gold-filled, on the other hand, has a much thicker, firmly bonded layer of gold. It costs a little more than plating, but it lasts so long that you won't have to keep buying new necklaces, and you can enjoy its warm gold tone for years.
The pendant and box chain are water-resistant. Still, avoid prolonged contact with perfume, lotions and harsh cleaners, and don't use ultrasonic cleaners. Smoky quartz starts to lighten at around 200 °C (390 °F), so keep it out of the sauna and out of strong, direct sun for long periods. With a Mohs hardness of 7 it is sturdy, but it doesn't like hard knocks.
The Difference
Gold-Filled vs. Gold-Plated
Best choice
Our Choice
14k Gold-Filled
Standard Jewelry
Gold-Plated
Gold layer
Up to 15% of total weight
Ultra-thin layer
Durability
Lasts many years with good care
Often wears off within months
Tarnishing
Rarely tarnishes
Discolours quickly
Wear
Keeps its new look
Flakes and wears off
Skin tolerance
Gentle on the skin
Can irritate the skin
Value
High quality and long-lasting
Cheaper, but less durable
Durability
Top
14k Gold-Filled
Lasts many years with good care
Gold-Plated
Often wears off within months
Tarnishing
Top
14k Gold-Filled
Rarely tarnishes
Gold-Plated
Discolours quickly
Wear
Top
14k Gold-Filled
Keeps its new look
Gold-Plated
Flakes and wears off
Skin tolerance
Top
14k Gold-Filled
Gentle on the skin
Gold-Plated
Can irritate the skin
Value
Top
14k Gold-Filled
High quality and long-lasting
Gold-Plated
Cheaper, but less durable
Origin of the stones
Gemstones with a clear conscience.
Every stone has a journey and I want that journey to be fair and transparent.
Consciously sourced
Handcrafted
Nature-friendly
Openly declared
Origin · Smoky quartz
Minas Gerais, Brazil
The smoky quartz in this necklace typically comes from the quartz deposits of Minas Gerais in Brazil, before each drop is hand-strung in my studio.
Carola
Founder · Designer
The woman behind Handmade Art
Hi, I'm Carola.
I am a biomedical scientist by profession and an artist by profession. In my studio in Oberhausen, I make each necklace by hand, stone by stone, bead by bead.
8+
Years of craftsmanship
1.672
wearers
100%
Unique pieces
Manufacturer Handmade Art by Carola · Carola Schade · Biefangstraße 1, 46149 Oberhausen, Germany · hello@by-carola.com
Good to you too
These pieces fit that
Hand-picked from my collection, each piece perfect for layering or as a gift.
Teardrop Smoky Quartz Necklace
Gold / With chain / 45 cm
