Amethyst

It is composed primarily of silica (SiO2)On the Moh’s scale Amethyst are a 7.0. The violet color is caused by trace amounts of ferric iron. Amethyst crystals are found in vertical, hollow gas tubes that formed in molten basalt. The gas tubes than become filled with silica-bearing solutions. This cased the amethyst to grow very slowly and line the inside walls of the gas tubes. Amethyst is a very popular semi-precious stone and is used for faceting and jewelry making. The typical color is a rich, violet-purple, often distributed in patches or bands. It can also be quiet pale, but is generally the same basic color, without any overtones. It is given both oval and drop mixed cuts, step cuts, and other types of cuts used for colored stones. Specimens of good color but with too many inclusions are cut en cabochon. Stones of 10 or so carats in weight are often found and even larger ones are not rare. Amethyst normally has good luster and transparency. Well-formed, characteristically colored groups of crystals are even used in their natural state as ornaments.

The Greeks named the stone amethyst meaning "without drunkenness" also known as the ‘sobriety stone”, it helps break bad habits. The Greeks used it constantly to protect themselves from overindulgence with food and drink, as well as helps with spiritual awareness, dreaming, dispels nightmares, and protection.

Occurrence the finest amethysts come (in great quantities) from Brazil and neighboring Uruguay, from the United States, Madagascar, and the Soviet Union, India, Australia, South Africa, and many other countries.

The distribution of the color, in striking patches and bands, is characteristic. When the stones contain inclusions, a series of discontinuous, wavy parallel lines, visible with a lens, indicates that they are certainly amethyst. As with nearly all quartzes, the interference figure has a distinctive profile, which usually makes identification immediate. Amethyst can also look vaguely similar to violet cordierite, which also has a strong, distinctive pleochroism. The much rarer violet scapolite may look quiet similar, and its physical characteristics are almost the same as those of quartz. Therefore an expert can only distinguish them.

Simulates and synthetics of the amethyst was much imitated by colored glass in the past, when it was more costly. Nowadays, despite the limited value of the natural stone, fair quantities of synthetic amethyst are produced, using the knowledge acquired in the production of synthetic quartz for technological purposes. The cost of the synthetic product is not much less than that of the natural gemstone.

Amethyst is a spiritual stone and a transmuter of all energies. It helps repel negativity and provides some protection. It also breaks up old emotional thought processes and assists psychic opening in a grounding manner. Works on head chakras for intuitive and spiritual insight. Amethyst is the stone of peace.

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