Amethyst

The essence of the colour purple, amethyst is beautiful enough for crown jewels yet affordable enough for class rings.

Amethyst is a captivating variety of quartz renowned for its purple hues. While other gemstones like sapphire and tanzanite also come in purple, amethyst is most commonly associated with this colour. Its shades can vary widely, from delicate lilac to rich, royal purple, with tones that range from warm, reddish-purple often likened to "raspberry" to cooler, bluish purples.

In addition to its vibrant colours, amethyst often displays a phenomenon known as colour zoning. This feature manifests as distinct, angular bands of darker and lighter shades, adding depth and character to the gemstone.

Overview

St. Valentine

The patron of romantic love wore an amethyst ring carved with the image of Cupid.

Camillo Leonardi

The astrologer wrote that amethyst quickens intelligence and gets rid of evil thoughts.

74.39 Kilos

Single amethyst crystals can be huge: the GIA Museum displayed a doubly terminated crystal that weighed 74.39 kilograms.

Facts

Mineral: Quartz

Chemistry: SiO2

Colour: Purple

Refractive Index: 1.544 to 1.553

Birefringence: 0.009

Specific Gravity: 2.66

Mohs Hardness: 7

Birthstones & Anniversaries

Amethyst is the birthstone for February and the gem for the 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries.

Information on this page has been sourced from the Gemmological Institute Of America (GIA) to learn more about Amethyst’s please visit https://www.gia.edu/amethyst to learn more or click the above learn more button.