Amethyst

7mm Round Amethyst

11x9mm Oval Cabochon Amethyst

10x8mm Pear Shape Amethyst

Split Personality
It is possible for some specimens of quartz to be different colours in different areas. Amethyst and citrine are varieties of quart which can both occur in the same stone. As our photograph clearly shows, the difference in colour at the two ends create a striking contrast. Such stones are sometimes called ametrines, but we think they could equally well be called citrysts or citrethysts.

What's in a Name?
Amethyst gets its name from a Greek word amethustos meaning "not drunken", as it was believed to protect against intoxication by alcohol.
It would be interesting to test this ancient theory whilst being breath-tested, but don't cite us in your defence.

Beautifully Coloured Gemstone
We believe that amethyst is one of the most beautiful of the coloured gemstones, particularly in its better qualities. As with other gemstones, the "best" colour can vary according to personal preference, and the quality of amethysts can vary considerably. The most important attribute should be an attractive colour. The rich deep violet colour is generally the favourite and most expensive, but a stone of medium colour intensity, with plenty of sparkle, can also be very attractive. Many of the amethysts for sale in High Street stores are only in low to medium quality, being either pale or quite included, and as a result are not particularly attractive.

Too Cheap?
One thing about amethyst that we find very strange is that some people complain about its low price. Compared with diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire, it is true that amethyst is inexpensive, particularly in lower qualities. Even in very high qualities, amethyst is still not expensive, which makes it a veritable bargain among gemstones. We cannot understand why it is necessary for a gemstone to be rare and valuable before people can appreciate its beauty, even though we list rarity and value among the attributes of gemstones on our Gemstone Characteristics page. In fact, high quality amethysts still add up to a lot of pounds. This also seems to surprise some folk. Just because some amethysts are cheap, they assume this must be the case for all amethysts. Also because some amethysts are cheap, other people don't want to own even a high quality attractive amethyst, possibly because their friends may regard amethysts as not valuable. It's a bit like refusing to accept a Picasso because the artist is offering to give it to you for nothing, instead of asking a couple of million pounds for it.
In our experience there are, sadly, many people who can only judge quality by its price tag. Often these same people spend half their life searching around for the best deal, but fail to see it when they fall over it.

Bishops Favourite
Amethyst is probably the most commonly used stone for Bishop's rings.

Hardness
The hardness of amethyst is 7, and appears on the Moh scale as quartz.

Synthetics
About 70% of amethysts on the world market are now believed to be synthetic. This has only been discovered in the last few years. Many low cost high quality, deeply coloured amethysts are now appearing in inexpensive jewellery. Because the cost of testing is higher than cost of even the natural stones it is not often performed. Beware stones of perfect clarity, calibrated sizes and with precision cutting.

Technical Details

Chemical Composition and Name	SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide
Hardness	7
Refractive Index	1.544 - 1.553
Bi-refringence	0.009
Specific Gravity	2.65 - 2.66
Crystalline System	Trigonal (Rhombohedral)
Optic Sign	Positive
Other Optical Properties	Uniaxial

Gemstone	Weight	Shape	Size & Description	Available	Price £	Price $
Amethyst	1.14	Round	7.0	Yes	£6.00	$Ask
Amethyst	2.54	Pear	10x8	Yes	£14.00	$Ask
Amethyst	2.88	Oval Cabochon	11x9	Yes	£30.00	$Ask