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Purple has long
been considered a royal color so it is not surprising
that amethyst has been so much in demand during
history. Fine amethysts are featured in the British
Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the
Great and Egyptian royalty. Amethyst, transparent
purple quartz, is the most important quartz variety
used in jewelry.
Leonardo Da Vinci wrote that amethyst was able to
dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence.
Because amethyst was thought to encourage celibacy and
symbolize piety, amethyst was very important in the
ornamentation of Catholic and other churches in the
Middle Ages. It was, in particular, considered to be
the stone of bishops and they still often wear
amethyst rings.
In Tibet, amethyst is considered to be sacred to
Buddha and rosaries are often fashioned from it.
The Greek work "amethystos" basically can be
translated as "not drunken." Amethyst was
considered to be a strong antidote against
drunkenness, which is why wine goblets were often
carved from it! The gemstone still symbolizes
sobriety.
The legend of the origin of amethyst comes from Greek
myths. Dionysius, the god of intoxication, was angered
one day by an insult from a mere mortal and swore
revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path,
creating fierce tigers to carry out his wish. Along
came unsuspecting Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden
on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Diana
turned Amethyst into a stature of pure crystalline
quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionysus
wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the
sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears stained
the quartz purple, creating the gem we know today.
Amethyst ranges in color from pale lilac to deep
purple. The pale colors are sometimes called
"Rose de France" and can be seen set in
Victorian jewelry. The deep colors are the most
valuable, particularly a rich purple with rose
flashes.
Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and
Argentina, as well as in Zambia, Namibia and other
African countries.
Generally, amethyst from South America tends to be
available in larger sizes than African amethyst but
amethyst from Africa has the reputation for having
better, more saturated, color in small sizes. Very
dark amethyst, mostly in small sizes, is also mined in
Australia.
Amethyst is available in a wide range of calibrated
sizes and shapes, including many fancy shapes. Large
fine stones may be sold in free sizes but generally
amethyst is cut in standardized dimensions.
(© ICA)
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