Rose de France Amethyst (also known as Lavender Amethyst) is the name for Brazilian Amethyst of a pastel lilac pinkish hue. Often, the fact that sometimes only a thin surface layer of violet color is present in the stone or that the color is not homogeneous makes for a difficult cutting. Shop for Buy Online Natural Amethyst Semi Precious Loose Gemstone Healing Birth Stone online at an affordable price in Nepal. One aspect in the art of lapidary involves correctly cutting the stone to place the color in a way that makes the tone of the finished gem homogeneous. Of very variable intensity, the color of amethyst is often laid out in stripes parallel to the final faces of the crystal. Dark, highly saturated, Amethyst is also found in Australia. Amethyst from the Americas can be found in large sizes as opposed to African Amethyst (typically mined in Madagascar), which is small but carries a higher saturation in color. The best varieties of amethyst can be found in Siberia, Sri Lanka, Brazil and the far East. Like many other gemstones, the quality of Amethyst varies according to its source. Pharaoh, kings and queens, as well as leading lights in religious sets have long treasured it because of its rich royal color.Ĭolored by iron, Amethyst is a variety of macrocrystalline Quartz that occurs in transparent pastel roses to deep purples. Indeed it derives its name from the Greek word ‘amethustos’ meaning ‘not drunk’.Īmethyst’s shades of purple have served as a symbol of royalty throughout history. With the mythology surrounding the origin of Amethyst, it is perhaps fitting that it was once considered a talisman to prevent drunkenness, which explains why wine goblets were once made from this gem. The goblet overturned, and the red wine spilled all over the white rock, saturating it until it became the purple quartz that is now known as Amethyst. When Dionysus realized what had happened and felt remorse for his actions, his tears dripped into his goblet of red wine. When Amethyst cried out to Goddess Diana for help, she immediately turned the girl into a white, shimmering stone (QUARTZ). The stone is included in royal collections all over the world, from ancient Egypt to the British crown jewels.Īccording to Greek mythology, Amethyst was a young virgin who became the object of wrath of the Greek God Dionysus after he became intoxicated with red wine. It is the birthstone for Pisces and the month of February, and the gemstone for the 6th anniversary of marriage. Lapidaries can use amethysts for any type of jewelry setting, including rings, as well as carvings, beads, and other decorative objects.Amethyst gemstone has been a prized gem for centuries. As quartz, amethysts belong to a species distinct from topaz, sapphire, and kunzite.įor more examples of gemstones with false or misleading names, consult this list.
Avoid using them and be alert if vendors use these monikers without explaining the gem’s true identity. For example, violet sapphire is sometimes referred to as “oriental amethyst” and kunzite as “lithia amethyst.”Īll these names are erroneous and misleading.
Other gem species sometimes receive names connecting them to amethyst.
You might encounter amethysts heated to a brownish yellow color sold as “Madeira topaz.” Stones with lighter shades are sometimes sold as “Palmyra topaz,” while amethysts heated to a reddish color sometimes receive the name “Spanish topaz.” The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931. Prismatic crystals and negative cavities, thumbprint marks, so-called rippled fractures, and twinning lines.īrooch, gold and amethysts. Uniaxial (+)įrom the Ancient Greek amethystos, meaning “not drunk.” It was believed you could drink all night and remain sober if you had an amethyst in your mouth. Weak to moderate, purple and reddish purple. May have color zoning.Īmethyst can be heat treated to improve the color or change it to citrine. Flower ring with 6 mm amethyst center stone and 2.5 mm accent amethysts.