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Gemstone Directory Amethyst | Amethyst |
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Amethyst, which is actually transparent purple quartz, is the most prized variety of quartz used in jewellery. Its purple coloration is caused by impurities of iron or manganese. Leonardo da Vinci wrote that amethyst was able to dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence. Because amethyst was thought to encourage celibacy and symbolize piety (dutiful devotion to God and observance of religious principles), it was very important in the ornamentation of the Catholic and other churches during the Middle Ages. It was in particular considered to be the gemstone of bishops and is still worn by some today. The word amethyst came from the Greek 'amethystos' meaning 'not drunk' and the ancient Greeks thought it would protect them from becoming drunk which is why wine goblets were often carved from it. The legend of the origin of amethyst comes from a Greek myth which said that Dionysus was angered one day by an insult from a mere mortal and swore revenge on the next one who crossed his path. Creating a fierce pack of tigers to help him, the mortal turned out to be a beautiful young woman called Amethystos, who was on her way to pay tribute to Artemis. In order to protect her from the brutal claws of the tigers, Artemis turned her into a statue of pure crystalline quartz. Dionysus wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The God's tears stained the quartz purple hence creating the gemstone known today as amethyst. Amethyst can range in colour from pale lilac to deep purple. The deeper colours generally tend to be the most valuable. Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Russia as well as in Zambia, Namibia, Madagascar and other African countries. Generally amethyst from South America tends to be available in larger sizes than those from Africa, but African amethyst has the reputation for having a more saturated colour. Very dark gemstones mostly in small sizes, are also mined in Australia. Amethyst is the birthstone for the month of February and the anniversary gemstone for the sixth year of marriage. It is graded 7 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness. The following links offer further reading on amethyst http://www.gemologyonline.com/amethyst.htm
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The rich purple colour of amethyst has long been considered to be a colour of royalty and hence it has been in great demand throughout history. Some stunning amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and they were also a favourite of 
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