This weeks article is about the February Birthstone, Amethyst.
See the history and some buying tips for getting a piece of jewellery with this beautifully coloured stone...
February Birthstone, Amethyst
Overview
"The gemstone Amethyst is the Birthstone for February. It is also the Zodiac stone for the constellation of Pisces.
Amethyst is associated with spirituality, wisdom, sobriety, and security.
Amethyst is the purple variety of the mineral quartz and is a popular gemstone.
Although it must always be purple to be amethyst, it can and does have a wide range of purple shades.
Its colour is unparalleled, and even other, more expensive purple gemstones are often compared to its colour and beauty.
If it were not for its widespread availability, amethyst would be very expensive.
The name "amethyst" comes from the Greek and means "not drunken."
This was perhaps due to a belief that amethyst would ward off the effects of alcohol, but most likely the Greeks were referring to the almost wine-like colour of some stones that they may have encountered.
Amethyst can occur as long prismatic crystals that have a six-sided pyramid at either end or can form as druzes that are crystalline crusts that only show the pointed terminations.
As a mineral specimen, amethyst is popular for its colour and nice crystal shapes that produce a handsome, purple, sparkling cluster.
However, amethyst is not the same everywhere. Different localities can produce a unique amethyst to that particular region or even to that particular mine. Experts can often identify the source mine that a particular amethyst came from.
The key to this is the specimen's colour, shape of crystal, inclusions, associations and character of formation.
Often, cut gems of amethyst are graded using the terms:
Siberian, Uruguayan or Bahain to represent high medium and low grade respectively, regardless of the actual source.
Because of the patchiness of the colour distribution in the crystals, Amethyst is often cut as brilliant round cuts to maximize the colour. Other cuts can be used when the colour is better distributed.
The colour purple is traditionally the colour of royalty and Amethyst has been used since the dawn of history to adorn the rich and powerful monarchs and rulers.
Today, Amethyst is a lovely and affordable gemstone that is fortunately available in a wide variety of cut and uncut stones that we can all possess and admire.
Prasiolite is the leek-green variety of quartz, rare in nature but used as a gemstone, sometimes (wrongly) called Green Amethyst.
See more from the original source, here...
A little bit of history...
"Amethyst was used as a gemstone by the ancient Egyptians and was largely employed in antiquity for intaglio engraved gems.
Medieval European soldiers wore amethyst amulets as protection in battle in the belief that amethysts heal people and keep them cool-headed.
Beads of amethyst were found in Anglo-Saxon graves in England.
Anglican bishops wear an episcopal ring often set with an Amethyst, an allusion to the description of the Apostles as "not drunk" at Pentecost in Acts 2:15.
A large geode, or "amethyst-grotto", from near Santa Cruz in southern Brazil was presented at a 1902 exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany.
In the 19th century, the colour of amethyst was attributed to the presence of manganese.
However, since it can be greatly altered and even discharged by heat, the colour was believed by some authorities to be from an organic source.
Ferric thiocyanate has been suggested, and sulfur was said to have been detected in the mineral."
See more from the original source, here...
How to buy Amethyst...
"Whether you’re purchasing an Amethyst for yourself or a loved one, you’re making an investment in beauty that will stand the test of time.
Amethyst makes a great gift for individuals born in February, or as a celebratory milestone for a 6th or 17th wedding anniversary.
Of course, you’re also welcome to purchase Amethyst “just because.”
It’s a beautiful gemstone that ranges in colour from a light pinkish violet to a deep red or blue-purple violet and complements a number of metals and settings.
It’s a durable gemstone that works well with warm or cool colours, so it’s safe to say it goes well beyond special occasion jewellery and can be worn every day, as well.
When looking to purchase Amethyst, first visit a professional jeweller, who is trained and certified to ensure that the consumer has the best information to make a great purchase.
Next, check the colour of the stone.
Amethyst often has “stripes” or layers of colour from how and when it was formed, so it takes a skilled gemologist to cut and polish the stone to show the overall colour of the stone evenly.
Avoid brownish or rust coloured tints to the stone and be careful the colour is not too deep or it can appear black in some lights.
Like diamonds, you can also look for clarity in an Amethyst.
Most gemologists will favour a richly coloured stone with some minor inclusions (not eye-visible) since the colour of this gem is so highly prized. In lighter coloured Amethysts, visible inclusions will greatly reduce the value of the gemstone.
Since Amethyst is relatively plentiful, the price differential in carat sizes isn’t usually terribly significant, so this can be a great gemstone for statement jewellery pieces (though you may not be able to cost-effectively recreate some of Elizabeth Taylor’s memorable amethyst jewellery or the “Kent Amethysts” owned by the British crown).
Larger rings, earrings or pendants can make a stunning addition to a jewellery collection, but even smaller Amethysts can be deeply and richly coloured, making subtler pieces beautiful, too.
See more from the original source, here...
If you are looking for some Amethyst jewellery, give us a call on: 01592 264305 and see what we have in.
Or come visit us in the shop (https://www.akcampell.co.uk), and see you soon!
The following post Amethyst, A Guide To The The February Gemstone… was originally seen on https://www.akcampbell.co.uk/blog/
No comments:
Post a Comment