Amethyst for February
Amethyst is the traditional birthstone for the month of February and how lucky February birthdays are! It is known as the stone that enhances intuition, spirituality and meditation. In medieval times, it was believed that amethyst would protect from nightmares and insomnia, and amethyst was widely engraved with animal symbols to provide protection and security.
The Romans believed that amethyst would be protected from drunkedness if they drank from a cup decorated or carved from amethyst. In Britain, power, wealth and royalty was often associated with the color purple, so many of the royal jewels are adorned with amethyst stones.
Amethyst is a purple variation of quartz. It’s colors range from deep, dark purple that appears almost black in some light to a very light lavender. Sometimes, you will find amethyst and citrine in the same stone which is called Ametrine. Because amethyst is a member of the quartz family, it’s a good gemstone for jewelry. It takes wear very well, and can be found in everything from bracelets, earrings, rings and necklaces.
Amethyst is one of my favorite gems. Be sure to check out our website to see all that we have available in this beautiful stone!
February Gemstone of the Month: Amethyst
With it’s deep purple to light, almost pinkish mauve shades, Amethyst has been a revered gemstone for centuries. This beautiful variation of quartz is the perfect gemstone for jewelry and other objects of worth because of it’s hardness and ability to take harder wear. Not to mention, it’s beautiful color.
Amethyst is most notably found in Brazil and Uruguay. Naturally colored crystals that exhibit both yellow and purple hues are called ametrine. Amethyst can be found in geodes as well as large crystal deposits.
Amethyst was once considered to be one of the most valuable gemstones next to diamonds. Large discoveries in South America have brought the price down considerably over the years. Amethyst is found in a variety of cuts to highlight this gemstone’s natural beauty. Most commonly, amethyst is cut in cabochons or in faceted forms depending on the quality of the stone. Amethyst is also the birthstone for the month of February.
Green Amethyst commonly called Prasiolite is usually heat-treated amethyst. The color ranges from a pale green to nearly light yellow, depending on the treatment.
Care considerations when wearing Amethyst include taking care not to hit the stone on hard objects that could cause the stone to chip or fracture along natural cleavage plains. Depending on the type of setting, you should avoid wearing all sterling silver jewelry in swimming pools. When cleaning, it’s best to use a mild detergent and soft brush to remove dirt and grime.
