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 distinguish between quartz whose crystals are visible to the naked eye (e.g. amethyst, citrine and rock crystal) and quartz whose crystals are microscopically small (e.g. agate, chalcedony and jasper). Quartz occurs in every color imaginable and is used in a variety of technologies. It serves as a raw material for the glass and ceramics industry, and quartz crystals are used as components in optical, electronic and communication applications.

The phrase "Queen's Length" has a genuinely regal source: a former Queen of England loved long charcoal burners. Neck jewelry with a length of about 80 centimeters is named after her. The "Queen's Collier" is somewhat shorter than the sautoir, which reaches all the way to the waist.