Amethyst is the birthstone for the month of February and the anniversary gemstone for the sixth year of marriage. It is best known primarily because of its rich purple colour which is caused by impurities of Iron or Manganese. Amethyst has been in great demand throughout history especially for use in jewellery and some of the finest examples have been included in royal collections from ancient Egypt to the British Crown Jewels. It was also a favourite of Catherine the Great.
This translucent purple gemstone is the most popular and highly prized variety of Quartz and as well as its colour, being graded 7 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness makes it perfect for use in jewellery. Something to be aware of with Amethyst is that its colour is quite delicate so excessive exposure to bright sunlight can result in it fading quite significantly and when heat treated, it will change into the yellow gemstone known as Citrine. Natural Citrine is quite rare hence many of the gems being sold on the market today are actually heated Amethyst!
Leonardo da Vinci wrote about Amethyst saying it was able to dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence. During the Middle Ages Amethyst was believed to encourage celibacy and symbolize piety (dutiful devotion to God and observance of religious principles) hence it was very important in the ornamentation of the Catholic and other churches. It was particular popular amongst Bishops and is still worn by some today.
Its name comes from the ancient Greek word "amethustos" meaning "unintoxicated" hence the ancient Greeks believed it would protect them from becoming drunk so wine goblets were often carved from it.
The colour of Amethyst can range from the palest of lilac to the deepest of purple and it's the deeper colours that are generally the most valuable. Currently the best quality gemstones come from Western India, Rio Grande do Sol in Southern Brazil and South West Sri Lanka.
Amethyst is believed to have been one of the gemstones in the high priest's breastplate or breastplate of Aaron, a religious garment worn by the Jewish high priest which had embedded in it, twelve magnificent gems each bearing the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. According to the Septuagint, amethustos was the third gem in the third row of the breastplate.
Pliny the Elder the Roman author and natural philosopher identified four varieties of Amethyst whose colour he compares to wine. He goes on to say, "all these gemstones are transparent and of an agreeable violet colour and are easy to engrave. Those from India are most perfect as a result of having the very richest shades of purple."
The legend of its origin comes from a Greek tale which says 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 a stunning gemstone.
Amethyst is used extensively in crystal healing as it is believed to be both powerful and protective. It is said to be a natural tranquilizer whose serenity enhances higher states of consciousness. It is helpful where insomnia is as a result of an over active mind and it can also help with recurrent nightmares. Once worn to prevent one from becoming intoxicated, it has a sobering effect on over indulgence and can help overcome addictions and blockages. It is extremely beneficial for the mind focussing on concentration and the ability to control ones faculties. It can help to balance emotional highs and lows and helps to dispel anger, fear and anxiety. Amethyst alleviates sadness and grief and supports coming to terms with loss.
Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Russia, Zambia, Namibia, Madagascar and some other African countries. Generally those gemstones from South America tend to be available in larger sizes although those from Africa have the reputation for having a more saturated colour. The very dark colours which are generally not as large are also mined in Australia.
Further reading:
Amethyst
Amethyst
Amethyst
Our collection of Amethyst jewellery
| ← Amazonite | Ammonite → |
|---|
