New Hampshire State Gemstone or Gem

Smokey quartz

(SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide)

Adopted in 1985.

Crowned smoky quartz, SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide,—also known as cairngorm—beryl, and granite the state gem, mineral and rock in 1985. Smoky Quartz is a common mineral also found in many types of rocks, including granite. Sometimes incorrectly called smoky topaz, this brown transparent quartz is sometimes used for unusual faceted cuts.

Smoky quartz is a popular variety of quartz. It has an unusual color for a gemstone and is easily recognized and is well known by the general public.

The color of smoky quartz is variable from brown to black and sometimes smoky gray colored specimens are included as smoky quartz. The cause of the color of smoky quartz is in question but it is almost certainly related to the amount of exposure to radiation that the stone has undergone. Natural smoky quartz often occurs in granitic rocks which have a small but persistent amount of radioactivity. Most smoky quartz that makes its way to rock shops and to some gem cutters has been artificially irradiated to produce a dark black color.