Amethyst is the violet variety of quartz and semi-precious stone that is the birthstone for February. It was once at the gem pantheon along with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds, but over time its value decreased. Due to it having a softer structure than other stones ( it still has a Mohs Hardness of 7), cutters can have a field day designing, though using an amethyst geode directly is quite popular with many people as they can be used as a home or office decor when fitted with a base.

The highest-grade Amethyst is called “Deep Russian”, but it too is much cheaper than most other high-grade stones of other varieties. Amethyst jewelry doesn’t get exceptionally huge and stones longer than 30cm are extremely uncommon. 

History 

Since purple is the color of royalty, it is no wonder that it was adorned by the nobility of most of the old-world civilizations, its use has been dated back to many millennia ago, with the ancient Egyptians and Greeks wearing them as ornaments. The Greeks believed that it was a rock crystal dyed by the tears of the wine god, Dionysus, and hence both the Greeks believed that wearing or drinking from an amethyst cup would prevent them from being intoxicated.

Many Anglo-Saxon graves were discovered with amethyst beads. Many civilizations believed it possessed healing properties and hence were used for rituals across the globe, even today millions of dollars are spent on amethyst in the belief that it is a healing stone. In the early 19th century huge amounts of Amethyst deposits were discovered in Brazil which plummeted the value of Amethyst, because unlike what the De Beers company did with diamonds, there was no regulation with its supply hence a false scarcity that the diamond industry made up could not be replicated here. Many biblical and Christian figures too have been associated with Amethyst including Christ himself.

Various Structures 

It is found in different structures and shapes, the most well-known developed structures are: 

Druzy crystal 

This type of amethyst aggregates with layout depressions; the gems are typically short-kaleidoscopic. Generally regular in volcanic rocks, but can also be found in hydrothermal veins, and even in holes in sedimentary rocks; 

Scepters 

It is on other assortments of quartz, especially in high-to medium-temperature conditions like fissures and pegmatite; 

Split-growth crystals (“artichoke quartz”) 

These crystals are like the Druzy crystals can be found in volcanic rocks and hydrothermal veins.

Individual Stones 

These are found as individual stones in little pits and crevices, specifically in volcanic rocks. 

Hydrothermal vein filling

This method is accompanied by other quartz and hence forms a banding pattern.

Amethyst Jewelry

It works quite well with both minimalist and maximalist designs. It can be a small side stone to enhance a ring or stud on your ear. At the same time, it could be the main attraction of one’s outfit being a center stone on your ring or the highlight of your cocktail necklace. 

Due to its relative softness, it is easier to scratch and damage Amethyst jewelry as compared to most other stones, so one must be extra cautious when adorning and storing Amethyst jewelry. Heat and harsh chemicals are another no-go when it comes to Amethyst as it makes the color fade, so consider mostly wearing it during indoor events. Oil and dust on your Amethyst jewelry can be easily removed using warm and soapy water. An ultrasonic unit can also be used to clean Amethyst.

But even with a lot of care, it might not last a long time, though many families have taken extra care and passed on Amethyst jewelry as family heirlooms for generations.

Ametrine

One of the world’s most intriguing stones is ametrine. It is an assortment of bi-color quartz where citrine and amethyst happen in contact with each other in a solitary precious stone. The word AMEthyst and ciTRINE were joined to form the name “ametrine”. This stone is seldom found in nature, and the only ones sold are from the Anahi Mine in eastern Bolivia, hence they are also sometimes referred to as bolivianite. 

Synthetic Amethyst 

Even though amethyst is anything but expensive material, synthetic or artificial amethyst has been produced as far back as 1970. From that point forward a huge number of things have been delivered from synthetic amethyst by faceting, cabbing, and cutting. These have entered all degrees of the gems exchange. This has pushed away numerous shoppers and made them reluctant to buy amethyst. 

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Most synthetic amethyst is made by the hydrothermal process. Since it has the same physical and chemical properties as natural amethyst it can be quite difficult to distinguish between them. Even though amethyst is one of the more cheaply valued gemstones, the synthetic version holds a better price advantage. Synthetic amethyst is regularly sold as natural amethyst, thereby conning the customers.

Experienced gemologists can distinguish some real amethyst with a microscope if it displays color zoning and contains mineral inclusions. Be that as it may, a large part of the natural amethyst is of extremely high clarity, and finding inclusions can be troublesome or borderline impossible.

 Grades of Clarity of Amethyst

The clarity of any precious stone is measured through the number of inclusions and impurities present in the stone. These inclusions are usually responsible for hindering the movement of light which directly affects the brilliance showcased by a precious stone. Amethysts generally do not contain such visible inclusions and are eye-clean. If a customer is shopping for jewelry made out of amethyst they should observe the stone for any visible inclusions and ensure that the stone looks as bright and clear as possible.

Natural AAAA

These comprise the top 10% of natural Amethyst. They have a medium-dark purple tone and are always eye-clean.

Natural AAA

These form 20%-30% of natural Amethyst and is of a slightly dimmer shade than that of Natural AAAA.

Natural AA

50%-75% of naturally available amethyst is of this quality, it is light purple in color and it will have some notable inclusions.

Natural A-B

These 2 grades are very pale in color and will have very noticeable inclusions in them. Due to the affordability of higher quality amethyst, it is never a good idea to buy low-grade amethyst. 

Cut Options for Amethyst 

Gems of lesser value are often overshadowed by the more precious stones such as the diamond, sapphire, ruby, and emerald, the reason behind this being their well-known popularity and the gorgeous color and brilliance these stones produce. 

However, amethyst jewelry is one such stone that has begun gaining a reputation too due to the various cut and creativity it is being produced with. The fantasy cut, an invention of Bernd Musteiner in 1943, was one such cut that helped bring the less precious crystals like amethysts into the spotlight by exhibiting astonishing effects through this cut.

It is created by the jeweler by cutting a stunning non-standard carving on the exterior of the gem. Since amethyst jewelry is softer than other precious gemstones, jewelers and cutters have more room for creativity and hence, they design designer cuts that make the stone look fashionably appealing. 

Most cuts made on amethysts jewelry are done to maximize the expression and visibility of the color of the stone. In the case of eye-clean crystals that have minimal to no zoning, the most appropriate method applied for cutting is the process of faceting which enables the maximum reflection of light from the stone’s surface leading to an increase in its brilliance and shine. Various cuts can be applied on the amethyst stones, including cuts like oval, cushion, triangle, marquise, or emerald, depending on the size of the stone and the distribution of color it exhibits. 

For crystals that have a high number of inclusions with prominent zoning, cutting such stones in cabochon is much more suitable since the cabochon cuts depend on the different and interesting patterns brought along with the inclusions and zoning on the surface of the stone. This cut basically takes advantage of a property that would otherwise be considered as a flaw and result in the stone with the said flaw be neglected. 

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Other times amethysts crystals aren’t cut at all. They are purchased as an amethyst geode since these are also a highly popular version of the ornament. Aspherical hollow rock structures, the geodes are lined on the internal aspect with many minerals and these geodes are often cut into halves or several other portions. The main purpose of these is related to crystal healing and spiritual practices since lots of people believe that the crystal has healing properties and spiritual significance and powers. 

Amethyst Carat Weight

Like the other precious stones, amethysts too are available in a wide variety and range of sizes. The primary advantage of investing in amethyst jewelry is also that with the increase in size and carat weight the price does not increase exponentially as it does in the case of other stones. So customers can decide upon a large center stone too if they’re like. 

Amethyst color 

One of the most important features of amethyst jewelry is its color which is a distinguishing shade of purple. The range of this purple can vary from stone to stone with a variety of hues from the shade of lavender to dark purple. The wide range of color is an outcome of the infections in the crystal lattice due to the irradiation, contamination of trace elements, and also iron impurities. 

While the ranging color is often treated as an advantage, what customers must avoid is the phenomenon of zoning. Since amethyst crystals can be produced in extra-large sizes too, sometimes the colors exhibited by these stones can be diluted and unevenly spread throughout the crystal. This leads to visible zoning and is considered a flaw and undesired characteristic. The range in color, however, is present in amethyst jewelry in the form of deeply saturated rich shades. 

Zoning in the stones does lessen the value of the amethyst jewelry although this does not mean that it renders the stone worthless and can still be manipulated by jewelers and cutters for the stone with the effect to be created into beautiful ornaments. 

Customers must always opt for amethyst jewelry with vibrant and outstanding colors since the stones are easily affordable and there is no hard in going all out with the purchase of the stones in high quality. 

Symbolic Meaning of Amethyst 

The amethyst jewelry is one such stone that is backed by history and mythology. 

The name is an adapted version of the Alexandrian dialect word “amethysts” which can be translated into “to not intoxicate”. According to Greek mythology, humans had angered Dinosys, the god of wine, by disrespecting his creation with mindless drinking and overindulgence. Upon his descend from Olympus, he decided to punish the first he came across resulting in turning a beautiful woman named Amethyst into white quartz. When he saw the lady, he immediately regretted his decision and later began to weep tears made of wine over her statue. It is said that these tears seeped into the statue and turned it from white to the shade of purple and hence the stone was born. Amethyst crystals are said to be originated from this statue itself. Ancient Greeks too believed in this story and considered amethyst as a protector against intoxication. 

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People also have faith in the crystal for they believe that it acts as an emotional stimulant that can inspire suppressed creativity and rouse anyone’s dulled imagination. It soothes the mind that is plagued by worldly worries and passions, the stone is believed to allow ideas to easily flow and alleviate the emotional conditions of people treated with the stone. If intoxication can act as an umbrella for physical as well as emotional and spiritual drunkenness, then the amethyst is said to free the mind from both these burdens. 

Conclusion Thoughts

The amethyst crystals as mentioned above are said to be not only known for their unique and astonishing color and beauty exhibited through amethyst jewelry and ornaments but also hold an emotional and spiritual significance in many people’s lives. Customers who wish to invest in amethyst for either of the purposes can do so without worrying about the burden it would create on the finances since amethysts are not like the other precious gemstones that are sold at sky-high prices.

Available anywhere at affordable prices, it is quite easy to get one’s hands on a piece of amethyst jewelry in the form of a necklace, earrings, or ring, or just the raw form for spiritual or ritualistic purposes. Undeniably a beautiful stone, it can now become a part of anyone’s daily life.