Amethyst
Amethyst, February’s birthstone, is the purple variety of quartz and is said to cure drunkenness and make you quick-witted in business. You once had to be rich to own this birthstone for February, but new finds have made it more affordable.
Amethyst has captivated mankind for millennia. Its lilac to deep purple hues can be cut into many shapes and sizes, and it can be manufactured in a lab as well as mined. Amethyst, the February birthstone, can be found in the collections of royal families throughout Europe and Asia. Now it’s within reach of most consumers. Consider buying a stunning amethyst for the king or queen of your heart – or treat yourself to a royal present. If your birthday is in February, then wearing an amethyst can also be a symbol of personal empowerment and inner strength.
Definition:
Amethyst is one of the most rare forms of quartz and possibly the most popular form of quartz in the world. It’s a fairly hard gem, has six sides, and can be found within geodes all across the globe. Amethyst is usually available in crystal form or a mass. Many stones on the market are not natural; they are often heat treated to produce a darker shade of purple.
The name “amethyst” derives from the Greek amethystos, which means “a remedy against drunkenness”, a benefit long ascribed to the purple birthstone. Because of its wine-like color, early Greek mythology associated the gem with Bacchus, the god of wine. Amethyst was also believed to keep the wearer clear headed and quick witted in battle and business affairs. Renaissance Europeans thought it calmed lovers overrun by passion.
The History of Amethyst:
Amethyst has enchanted kings and queens for many centuries. Catherine the Great (Empress Catherine II of Russia, 1729-1796) had a penchant for this gem and decked herself in amethyst necklaces, earrings and other ornaments. The famous jewelry connoisseur Wallis, Duchess of Winsor (1896-1986), made a memorable statement when she wore a lavish “Cartier-designed amethyst bib” necklace to a gala in Versailles in 1953.
Historically, royals have admired the deep purple hue of the February birthstone since at least the days of Alexander the Great. Amethyst lore also includes several claims to mystical powers, including that it would convey strength and wit to those who wore it. If you celebrate a February birthday, wearing and amethyst can be a symbol of personal empowerment and inner strength.
Symbolism:
The birthstone for February is amethyst, and the folklore attached to this gemstone associates it with protection, tranquility, peace and sobriety. This February birthstone also has been connected to improving the skin and preventing baldness, as well as protection from untruthfulness. The amethyst birthstone comes in variable shades of purple, and can be a purple lilac in color. On the other end of the range, you can also get intensive violet amethysts, which means that you can love a birthstone that is as light or as rich as you need.
Amethyst is an extremely powerful and protective stone with a high spiritual vibration. It guards against psychic attack, transmuting the energy into love. As a natural tranquilizer, Amethyst blocks geopathic stress and negative environment energies. Its serenity enhances higher states of consciousness and meditation. Amethyst has strong healing and cleansing powers, and enhances spiritual awareness.
Traditionally, it was worn to prevent drunkenness and has a sobering effect on overindulgence and physical passions, supporting sobriety. It overcomes addictions and blockages of all kinds. Used at a higher level, Amethyst opens oneself to another reality.
Amethyst is extremely beneficial to the mind, calming or stimulating as appropriate. Mentally, it helps one feel less scattered, more focused and in control of your faculties. It facilitates the decision-making process, bringing in common sense and spiritual insights. It calms and synthesizes, and aids the transmission of neural signals through the brain. It enhances memory and improves motivation. Amethyst also helps you remember and understand dreams and facilitates the visualization process. Spiritually, Amethyst promotes love of the divine, giving insights into its true nature, and encourages selflessness and wisdom. Opening intuition, it enhances psychic gifts.
Bolivia
Location:
Russia was the major source of amethyst until the 19th century, when large deposits were found in Brazil. Once as rare as Ruby or Emerald, Amethyst was suddenly in abundance. Today, the most important sources of Amethyst are in Africa and South America. Brazil is still a major supplier, especially its southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, though the rough Amethyst mined there tends to have a lighter color than Amethyst found in other countries. Amethyst from Brazil sometimes forms in hollow, crystal-lined geodes so large you can stand in them.
The Anahi mine in Bolivia is another prominent source for Amethyst. Hidden in the Pantanal wetlands, the Anahi mine is shrouded in fascinating lore. It was discovered by a Spanish conquistador in the 1600s, given to him as dowry when he married Anahi (a princess from the Ayoreo tribe), forgotten for three centuries, and rediscovered in the 1960s. The Anahi mine is also famous in gem circles as the source of the unusual bicolored amethyst-citrine crystals called ametrine.
In Africa, Zambia’s Kariba mine is one of the largest Amethyst producers in the world. Amethyst mined there tends to be superb quality with richly saturated colors.
Amethyst is also found in the United States, just 46 miles outside of Phoenix, Arizona. The Four Peaks Amethyst Mine is located high in the most rugged part of the Mazatzal Mountains. A remote location, hot summer temperatures, and a lack of water and power at the mine make for challenging conditions. Yet this jagged, arid, and rattlesnake-infested terrain produces some very fine dark purple and purplish red amethyst crystals.
Care & Cleaning:
Amethyst is a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness. This means that it is appropriate for daily use in rings and other jewelry, but over time it may show wear and require re-polishing. Because this February birthstone is more susceptible to damage than harder gems such as rubies, sapphires and diamonds, you risk scratching your amethyst jewelry if you place it next to these harder stones.
Heat treatment is the most common technique for improving the color and marketability of natural amethyst. Heat treatment can’t make pale amethyst darker, but it can lighten the color of very dark amethyst and make it more attractive. It can also remove unwanted brownish inclusions in some amethysts. Some amethyst turns yellow – to citrine – with heat treatment.
Heat treating amethyst results in a permanent change in color. However, submitting it to intense heat may render it slightly more brittle than usual, and care must be taken not to damage pointed faceted corners and sharp edges. Note, too, that excessive heat can remove the color entirely, and some amethyst fades with prolonged exposure to strong light. Though the color is stable with normal use, this is not a birthstone to wear to the beach every day.
Amethyst jewelry can be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner, but steam cleaning is not recommended. A soft brush with mild soap is the safest option.
Why We Love This Gemstone
Geodes:
In gem localities like Brazil, amethyst sometimes forms in hollow, crystal-lined geodes so big you can stand in them.
Affordable:
Even fine Amethyst has a modest price tag. Large gems remain affordable as price per carat does not rise dramatically with larger size.
Ametrine:
In Bolivia, amethyst and citrine occur in the same crystal. The unique gems, called ametrine, are half purple and half yellow.
COLOR
The finest amethyst color is strong reddish purple to purple with no visible color zoning.
CLARITY
Most amethyst doesn’t have inclusions you can see without magnification.
CUT
Amethyst is cut into a variety of standard calibrated shapes, including rounds and ovals.
CARAT
Amethyst is available in all size ranges for setting into a variety of jewelry styles.
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