Amethyst

Color of Royalty... Amethyst holds a magical appeal that’s proven to be timeless and universal. Amethyst displays a majestic hue of purple, moving from very light to very dark. With purple being the chosen color of royalty, amethyst has enjoyed an unwavering popularity dating back thousands of years. The finest quality amethyst exhibits a high degree of transparency and a rich deep purple color enhanced by flashes of burgundy or rose. Amethyst has been a popular gemstone for centuries, and with good reason. It is beautiful, durable and affordable. Amethyst is a variety of the mineral species quartz. It is a hard gemstone that is resistant to both scratching and breaking. Amethyst can be faceted or fashioned into cabochon cuts.

Birthstone
Amethyst is the birthstone for February.

Origins
Amethyst is found all over the world. Major sources include Brazil and Uruguay. Other sources include Zambia, India, Sri Lanka and the United States. Small qualities of very fine amethyst are also mined in Russia.

Treatments
Almost all amethyst is heated to bring out is best color. Heat-treated amethyst is very stable and requires no special handling.

Care
The beautiful color in your amethyst, if properly taken care of, will last indefinitely. Amethyst should be protected from sharp blows and scratches but is otherwise quite resistant to normal wear. Amethyst can be cleaned with most any commercial jewelry cleaner or plain soap and water using a soft brush. Be sure to rinse and dry your jewelry thoroughly after cleaning. Some amethyst, whether treated or not, may fade if exposed to sunlight for long periods of time. Because of this, you shouldn’t wear your amethyst jewelry while sunbathing or when using a tanning bed.

Photo: Robert Weldon, Copyright Professional Jeweler Magazine
Editors Note: This article is © 2002-2010 Jewelers of America Inc.