The word "quartz" describes a large group of minerals that includes many well-known varieties of jewelry stones with identical chemical compositions and similar physical properties. Mineralogists differentiate between quartzes whose crystals are visible with the naked eye (e.g. amethyst, citrine, and rock crystal) and quartzes whose crystals are microscopically small (e.g. agate, chalcedony, and jasper). Quartz occurs in every conceivable color and is used in a variety of technologies. It serves as a raw material for the glass and ceramics industries, and quartz crystals are used as components in optical, electronic, and communications applications.

The phrase "Queen's Length" has a genuinely regal source: a former Queen of England loved long colliers. Jewelry for the neck with a length of approximately 80 centimeters is named for her. The "Queen's Collier" is somewhat shorter than the sautoir, which reaches all the way to the waist.