The color purple has long been associated with royalty. Fine Amethyst gemstones are set in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great. Even Leonardo Da Vinci paid tribute to the gemstone, once writing that Amethyst was able to dissipate evil thoughts and quicken one's intelligence.
During the middle ages Amethyst was thought to encourage celibacy. The Bishops of the Catholic Church often wore the gemstone as jewelry or ornamentation, giving it a strong association with piety. Modern day Catholic Bishops often still wear Amethyst rings and jewelry for the past symbolism the stones carries.
In eastern civilizations, Amethyst is sacred as well. Tibetan Buddhists often fashion rosaries from the gemstone.
Amethyst does vary from region to region however. Different mineral conditions depending upon locality can produce a unique Amethyst only found in that particular region or mine. Gemologists can often identify the source mine that a certain Amethyst originated from, based upon the specimen's color, crystal shape, inclusions, and character of formation. Quite often cuts of the Amethyst gemstone are graded using regional terms such as, Siberian, Uruguayan, or Bahrain. The associated names represent high, medium, and low grade respectively, regardless of the actual gemstone's regional source.
Due to the unevenness in the color distribution in the stone crystals, Amethyst is often used in brilliant round cut specimens to maximize the color consistency. The natural beauty of rough cut Amethyst stones can be very valuable as well. In some cases, a full spectrum of light to rich dark purples can be seen in a very small crystal area, giving the specimen a brilliant reflective luster.
Most Amethyst is mined in Africa, Europe, Russia, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Australia, and Argentina.
Amethyst specimens from South America are usually available in larger sizes as compared to African Amethyst, however the African stone is known for having better rich color consistency. Dark purple Amethyst can also be found in Australia.
Amethyst ranges in color from pale lilac to deep purple. The pale colors are sometimes called "Rose de France" and are often found set in Victorian jewelry. The deep colors are the most valuable, particularly a rich purple with light rose tones.
Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz, and is officially classified in the same family of mineral. Other varieties of the stone include, Citrine, Milky Quartz, Clear Quartz, Rose or Pink Quartz, and Smoky Quartz.
Beloved by royalty and bishops throughout history, Amethyst is still enduringly popular, characterized by brilliant colors and large clean crystals that make beautiful gemstones. The gemstone is also the birthstone for the month of February. Please be sure and browse through our Amethyst jewelry collection for the latest handcrafted Amethyst jewelry designs available. Amethyst Links
Amethyst Source: International Colored Gemstone Association
