The Color of Royalty

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Amethyst has long been a favorite gem of kings and queens for its royal purple hues. It is the most precious of the quartz family, exhibiting colors ranging from pale lilac to deep purple. These royal gems are featured in the British Crown Jewels--worn by Catherine the Great as well as Egyptian royalty.

Various special properties have also been prescribed to amethyst through centuries. Both the Greeks and Romans considered it a strong antidote against drunkenness and drank wine from goblets carved out of the gem. Even the great Leonardo Da Vinci claimed that amethyst could dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the mind. The stone also is supposed to bring peace of mind to the wearer and prevent fatal poisoning.

For some legends , the stone also represents piety, celibacy and dignity. In the Middle Ages, the gem was an important ornamentation for the Catholic Church and other religions. In Tibet, amethyst is considered sacred to Buddha and rosaries are often made from it besides the fact that,it was considered the stone of bishops. Until recently, they still often wear amethyst rings.

February's birthstone, amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina, as well as in Zambia, Namibia and other African nations. Very dark amethyst in small sizes also is mined in Australia. But the ideal for fine quality amethyst was set by a Siberian variety, often called Russian or Uralian amethyst, which is now considered a defunct source.

Generally, South American amethyst tends to come in larger sizes than African amethyst--Brazil being more popular in amethyst production these days. But the African variety has a reputation for having deeper color intensity and is therefore considered more valuable. The African version also is harder to come by than amethyst mined from South America.

Amethyst comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, including many fancy cuts. Large fine stones are sold in free sizes but generally the stone is cut in standardized dimensions. Paler shades, sometimes called "Rose of France", were common in Victorian jewelry. Banding - darker and lighter zones of color - is also a common occurrence. Occasionally, amethyst is even found combined with its sister quartz citrine into a single stone called ametrine.

The finest and most valuable amethysts are very clear, with very deep color (and they sometimes exhibit reddish or rose overtones). Some stones are so oversaturated with color they have areas that are blacked out, which can negatively impact their value. Heat and irradiation are the most common enhancements to amethyst. The stone, which ranks a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, is considered durable enough for everyday wear. Although, one must care not to expose the gem to excessive amounts of bright sunlight for that can cause its color to fade.