All About Amethyst

What is Amethyst?
Amethystis one of the most valuable members of the vast Quartzfamily, and can be found in a range of beautiful opaque to transparent purples. It is considered to be a semi-precious gemstone.

Sometimes Amethyst is heat-treated (heated to very high temperatures), which makes it change to colors like yellow, red, brown, green, or clear. Only purple Amethyst can be properly called Amethyst. Don't be fooled by so-call Green Amethyst or any Amethyst that isn't purple!


OK, Give Me the Technical Information (Really!)

Technically, Amethystis a coarse-grained variety of silica mineral quartz. Experts believe its color may be due to high iron oxide content, manganese, or hydrocarbons.
Even more technically, all forms of quartz (including Amethyst) are piezoelectric, making them very important when making electronic devices (think quartz clock). Piezoelectricity is the ability of a crystal to convert applied mechanical stress into voltage. Tourmalineis the only other gemstone that has this property.

Now, What is Natural Amethyst?
In all its forms, Amethyst is a wonderful gemstone that many of us love. Unfortunately, fine gemstone Amethyst (precisely cut gems with extraordinary clarity and color) is very expensive! Fine gemstone Amethyst is gebined with fine silver or fine gold to make (very expensive) fine jewelry!

For those of us who love Amethyst but not the high price tag of fine jewelry, nature has blessed us with natural Amethyst - the Amethyst fine jewelersdon't use because of its natural "flaws" and "imperfections."

Natural Amethyst can be made into gemstone chips, beads, or nuggets, and is typically gebined with sterling silver to create beautiful, natural-style jewelry. Oh, yes, and at a fraction of the price of fine Amethyst jewelry!



What Makes Amethyst More Expensive?
The highest quality Amethyst(and the most expensive Amethyst) is ...

... highly transparent
... in medium to medium dark tones of color
... with vivid intensity
... and in hues of purple, reddish purple, and bluish purple
FYI, although pale-colored Rose de France Amethyst was very popular in Victorian jewelry, it is not considered as valuable as regular Amethyst.

Where Does Amethyst gee From?
Amethyst is mined in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, India, Siberia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, and some African countries (especially Zambia).

The so-called Oriental Amethyst, or Purple Sapphire, is not quartz but rather a variety of Corundum, a much harder and rarer stone.



Brazilian Amethyst

In general, Amethyst from South Americatends to be available in larger pieces than African Amethyst, but Amethyst from Africa has the reputation of having better and more saturated color (although in smaller pieces). Very dark Amethyst, mostly in small pieces, is also mined in Australia.


How is Amethyst Used in Celebrations?
Amethyst is the birthstoneof February ...
... Amethyst is the anniversarygemstone for both the 6th and 17th years of marriage

Who Really Likes Amethyst?
Amethyst is the state gemstone of South Carolina ...
... Because the color purple is considered royal, Amethyst is very popular with royalty and nobility - such as Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty - and can even be found in the British Crown Jewels!


Amethyst and Ancient Cultures
The name Amethyst gees from the Greek word amethustos, which literally means "without wine." In the first century, Plinywrote that Amethyst was so named because its color is nearly the same as wine.

By far the strangest belief about Amethyst gees from the early Greeks. They believed (incorrectly!) that drinking from an Amethyst chalicewould prevent intoxication!

One possible explanation? When plain old (cheap) water is served in an Amethyst cup, the water looks like wine. A stingy host could use water, say it was wine, and claim the Amethyst cupprevented intoxication!

The original Greek legend is that the god of wine, Bacchus, was insulted one day by a mere mortal. He swore that his fierce tigers would attack the next mortal unfortunate enough to cross his path!

Along came a beautiful maiden Amethyst. To save her from the tigers' claws, the goddess Diana quickly turned Amethyst into a beautiful quartz statue.

Filled with great remorse over the fate of the beautiful Amethyst, Bacchus wept tears of wine over the stone maiden, and she turned a lively purple.

In other ancient cultures, Amethyst amuletswere worn to antidote poison, dispel sleep, and protect from harm in battle.

Amethyst in the Middle Ages
In medieval times, people still believed that Amethystprotected one from drunkenness, whether from alcohol or being in love! And now people believed that Amethyst would do more than protect them in battle - it would also give them victory in battle, protect them from thieves, and assist hunters in capturing wild animals!

A new belief came about - that Amethyst would encourage celibacy! Because of that, Amethyst became very important in the ornamentation of Catholic churches. Even today, Bishops still often wear Amethyst ringsin a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages.

According to legend, Amethyst is a healing stone that helps the traveler find his way. Legend also has it that Amethyst worn on a braceletwill improve one's reasoning and give heightened intelligence.

Amethyst Lore Today

Amethyst is still considered to be a symbol of sincerity, security, and peace of mind.
In Tibet, Amethyst is considered to be sacred to Buddha, and rosariesare often fashioned from it.

How to Care for Your Amethyst Jewelry
Now that you have begee even more fascinated with beautiful Amethyst gemstones, you need to learn how to take care of Amethyst jewelry!
All gemstones, including Amethyst, need to be protected from sharp blows, harsh chemicals, and extreme temperatures. Remember, high heat changes the color of Amethyst!

Clean your Amethyst jewelry with an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, or with warm water, mild soap, and a soft bristle brush.
Amethyst often pales if left out in the sun, so do not store it in direct sunlight. Instead, store your Amethyst jewelry in a dark, dry, safe place.


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