Amethyst

FUN FACTS

Amethyst has been associated with the Biblical tribe of Dan and is said to be part of the foundation bedrock of Jerusalem

Farmers believed that amethyst would protect their crops from hailstorms and locusts

In 1993 a cavern was discovered in Maine that contained more than a ton of amethyst

In modern Europe amethyst is a common sight amongst royal families likely due to its purple color which has long been associated with royalty

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Amethyst

ABOUT

Amethyst is often recommended for people who suffer from insomnia and high amounts of stress. Unsurprisingly, given its past associations with calmness and a general sense of being even keel, it is also believed to grant its wearer better judgment and grant them a degree of tranquility. It is also said to balance the body’s hormones and alleviate headaches.  While there’s a range of colors for the stone, its somewhat limited; anywhere from a pale lavender-like color to a dark reddish purple. Generally, the darker the stone, the more valuable it is. 

Amethyst

STORY

Amethyst’s name is derived from the Greek ‘amethustos’, meaning ‘sober’. Ironically, Greeks believed that the stone received its trademark purple color from the tears of Dionysus, the god of wine and debauchery, and that, if one drank from a chalice made entirely of amethyst, they would remain sober. Appropriately enough, Egyptians associated it with the image of a goat, a traditional foe of vines and vineyards, and thus a symbol of sobriety. This association with a sense of decorum followed into the Middle Ages, where high-ranking members of the Catholic Church wore the gem as a sign of their chastity. Later during the Renaissance, the jewel came to symbolize humility and modesty. Like topaz, a large amount of amethyst is mined in Brazil and in Uruguay. 

GEMOLOGICAL SPECIFICATIONS

  • FAMILY

    Quartz

  • CHEMISTRY

    SiO2

  • REFRACTIVE INDEX

    1.544 - 1.553

  • BIREFRINGENCE

    0.009

  • SPECIFIC GRAVITY

    2.65

  • HARDNESS

    7