Amethyst Buying Guide for Jewelry

Amethyst is one of the most popular purple gemstones available today. The name Amethyst comes from the Greek word 'amethystos' meaning not drunk.

Amethyst is part of the quartz family and is very closely connected to citrine and ametrine (ametrine mixes the golden sun yellow of citrine with violet amethyst).


Basic Facts:

Birthstone: February
Origin: Australia, Brazil, Kenya, Madagascar, Russia, Sri Lanka & Uruguay
Colors: Pink red to Purple/violet & Green
Family: Quartz: SiO2
Hardness: 7
Refractive Index: 1.54 – 1.55
Specific Gravity: 2.65
Treatment: Normally not treated

Amethyst for Jewelry

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Amethyst is an incredibly popular gemstone for jewelry and it is suitable for every type of design such as ring, pendant, earring, broaches, wedding ring, bracelet and others. There are some things to consider when choosing your amethyst.

Amethyst Color:

Amethyst range in color from a light purple pink to deep purple/reddish purple. The deeper colors are the most sought after and valuable gems. Certain trade names are used to identify the color grade such as Siberian Amethyst (representing the deep, purple/red stones) and Rose de France Amethyst (representing the pale light colored stones).

Amethyst does not naturally occur in a green color, but through heat treatment a stunning mint green color is achieved and this is usually marketed as Green Amethyst.

Choosing the right color shade for your jewelry is an individual choice, however amethyst is an affordable gemstone so we would recommend to select the deeper colors.


Amethyst Clarity:

Clarity is an important variable of the overall beauty of a gem as a gem with inclusions will affect the brilliance/luster of the gem. Luckily, amethyst is a gem type that usually occur in large flawless crystals meaning that cut gemstones are usually of VS or better quality at an affordable price range.

Amethyst Cut/Shapes:

Amethyst is a hard crystal and is therefore suitable to be cut into any type of shapes such as oval, round, octagon, trilliant, pear and more. So called fantasy cuts have also become very popular for amethyst in the last few years. With the availability of amethyst in all types of shapes, it is really up to your imagination and personal preference of which shape to use for your jewelry design.


Amethyst Weight:

Amethyst is a type of quartz that is readily found in very large crystal sizes of top quality. For this reason, the price per carat climbs steadily and not exponentially as with some gemstones such as sapphires and rubies for example. Amethyst is a perfect gemstone for jewelry pieces and the large affordable gems make amethyst perfect for stunning pendant and cocktail ring designs.

Amethyst Treatment:

Amethyst is generally not treated in any way, apart from certain Brazilian amethysts that are heat treated to create the green colored variety.

Amethyst Price:

As mentioned, amethyst is a very affordable gemstone which makes it a perfect gemstone for jewelry. As opposed to for example sapphire, you can choose a large top quality amethyst without breaking the bank! Price for amethyst gems usually range from $5 to $50 per carat.


Amethyst Hardness:

Amethyst has a hardness of 7 on Mohs hardness scale which makes it strong enough to be used in all type of jewelry such as rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and more.

Amethyst Birthstone:

Amethyst is the birthstone for February. February is often a cold, dark and short month for many people around the world. Amethyst is a beautiful, richly colored gemstone, which is a wonderful contrast to this time of year.


Amethyst Zodiac Stone:

Amethyst is most suitable for people sharing the Zodiac sign Pisces, February 19 – March 20.

Amethyst Wedding Stone:

Amethyst is the traditional wedding gift for the 6th anniversary.

Which Jewelry Type fits Amethyst?

The vast supplies, gorgeous colors and affordability have made amethyst very much favored by jewelers around the world. It is easy to find matching stones making amethyst perfect for earrings, bracelets and accent gems in any type of jewelry. The availability of large sized amethyst also makes this a very popular gemstone for pendants and cocktail rings.

In recent years, amethyst has also become more popular as an alternative to diamond for wedding rings.


What metal is best for Amethyst?

White gold truly brings out the brilliance of purple, as the bright white shade contrasts as well as complements the amethyst’s hue, making the gem stand out more.

Yellow gold and amethyst is not the most common of combination as yellow and purple are on the opposing spectrum of the color wheel and the colors contradict rather than complement. However, there are certain color shads of amethyst that will look stunning set-in yellow gold jewelry.

Silver is an incredibly popular metal for amethyst gems as it both compliments the color hue of amethyst, as well as being very affordable. Amethyst is suitable for all type of silver jewelry such as rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and more.


Caring for your Amethyst Jewelry:

Amethyst has a hardness of 7 on Mohs hardness scale which makes it strong enough to be used in all type of jewelry. However, as with any type of gemstone jewelry proper care should be taken.

Amethyst can be safely, simply, and effectively cleaned with warm soapy water and a soft brush, such as a toothbrush. Steam cleaners should not be used to clean amethyst because it should not be subjected to high temperatures.

In addition to regular cleaning, take extra care while wearing the stone. Avoid bumping or scratching the stone against a rough surface. When storing the amethyst, store it separately from harder stones and metals that could scratch its surface.

Summary:

Amethyst is a perfect gemstone for any type of jewelry considering the availability of different shapes, sized and top clarity gems at very affordable prices.

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