February 14, 2024 2 min read

Once upon a time amethysts were as expensive as rubies and emeralds then in the 19th century huge deposits were found in Brazil and suddenly there was an abundance of Amethyst.

Historically, almost every royal house boasts an amethyst or two in its jewellery collection. Perhaps something to do with purple being associated with royalty. The name Amethyst comes from the Greek amethystos which means "a remedy against drunkenness" - The ancient Greeks believed that Amethysts could keep one from getting too drunk!

 

 

  

Amethyst is the gemstone for the sixth and 17th wedding anniversary.

Amethyst is found in many many shades of purple, from light purples to pink purples, reddish purples, rich deep purples and everything in between. It is the most valued variety of Quartz. When it comes to daily wear and tear, Amethyst is hard enough to be worn in jewellery including rings, measuring 7 on Moh's scale of hardness. This means amethyst can be scratched by gemstones with a higher rating on Moh's scale (ie harder) such as rubies and diamonds; so take care when stroring your amethyst jewellery. They will generally withstand a lot, however over time, they may show wear and require repolishing. Excessive heat can remove some colour and some amethysts fade with prolonged exposure to strong light. This means its not a good idea to wear your amethyst to the beach everyday. 

As you may imagine with a gemstone that has been around for a long time there is some myth and lore surrounding amethysts; an interesting one is that Rennaisance Europeans thought this February gemstone calmed angry lovers. One thing that has withstood the test of time is amethysts popularity in jewellery pieces. Whilst abundant deposits have made it more accessible, its beauty has not diminished one bit. We have amethysts in our Entwined Gemstone Ring, Blithe Gemdrop Chain  , Jacaranda Pod Necklace and others.  

 

 

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