Amethyst Jewelry

Fascination with the rich tones of Amethyst jewelry has stretched back through the history of the world and is stronger today than ever. The beauty of Amethyst is its awesome versatility as a gemstone – because of its rich hues and subtle variations; amethyst is able to be used in a huge variety of situations, without compromising or clashing with other jewelry or gemstones.

When to wear Amethyst Jewelry

Purple has always been the color of royalty, so you can use amethyst to add a touch of sophistication to any outfit without overbalancing the colour combinations. Matching perfectly with both gold and silver, Amethyst Jewelry is also stunning in combination with deep emerald tones and ruby red. You can also use Amethyst to great effect as a touch of colour on a diamond ring.

An Amethyst ring can make a great accessory to balance out your wedding ring, or use an amethyst necklace or earrings to add a splash of royalty to a simple white gown. Amethyst is also the birthstone for February (Pisces) and the 6 year marriage anniversary stone. Amethyst jewelry is the perfect 6 year anniversary gift, as it matches with almost anything and doesn’t cost the earth.

Amethyst Colors and Grades

The Amethyst stone comes in a variety of hues ranking from a light violet that is almost pink (Rose do France), to a rich and dark royal purple (Deep Siberian) which is considered to be the highest grade. Other varieties include Ametrine which has orange bands and Oriental Amethyst

Synthetic Amethyst

The bad news is that you can only tell Synthetic Amethyst from natural if you are an expert (and perhaps not even then). The good news is that this means it really doesn’t matter if it is synthetic or not! There are very few synthetic amethysts on the market anyway so it isn’t really much of a problem.

Caring for your Amethyst Jewelry

Although Amethyst is very hard (rating 7 on Mohs scale of hardness) it still needs to be looked after if you want it to last and keep its color. Keep your Amethyst Jewelry away from prolonged exposure to sunlight or heat, as these will cause them to loose their color. Also, do not clean them with any household or abrasive cleaners. The best way to clean your amethyst jewelry is to mix up a mild soap or dishwashing liquid with warm water and to use a soft cloth or a toothbrush to gently polish the gem.

Where Amethyst comes from

Brazil is probably the biggest producer of Amethyst, however you can also find it in Zambia, South Korea, Austria, Uruguay and Russia. Russia has the best quality of high grade amethyst.

Amethyst in Mythology

Amethyst Jewelry has a rich and fascinating history and was named after ancient Greek mythology involving the god of wine, Dionysus, and his attempt to slay a mortal named (you guessed it) Amethyst! It is believed that the gemstone can keep you sober, protect you in battle and make you better at business amongst other things. For further reading see Amethyst Jewelry History