Amethyst is one gemstone that simply doesn't get enough credit. Known for its purple hue and as the birthstone of February, amethyst is regal and captivating, but not many people know about it. So what's the history of amethyst, and why is amethyst worth a closer look? Keep reading for the details.
You may already know our history books associate the color purple with royalty. Then it won't come as a surprise that amethyst was used in crown jewels and was highly valued for ages. Before the 19th century, amethyst was considered to be just as valuable as ruby and emerald.
But amethyst's value started long before then. Saint Valentine, the patron saint of romantic love, apparently wore an amethyst ring with cupid carved into the gem. Early Greek legends associated amethyst with Bacchus, the god of wine, because of its wine-like, reddish purple hues. Because of this, amethyst was even believed to prevent drunkenness! Legend says that this purple stone “kept its wearer clear-headed and quick witted in battle and in business.”
Now, in its natural crystal form, amethyst is often used for its metaphysical properties. According to The Crystal Vaults, it carries the energy of passion, creativity, and spirituality while bearing the logic of temperance and sobriety. Some people even meditate with amethyst crystals to call this energy into their lives. In reading about the uses of this precious crystal nowadays, you can clearly see how amethyst is still tied to its lore.
Amethyst is a variety of quartz, which is one of the most predominant minerals on the planet. You can find large amethyst geodes in pretty much every rock and mineral shop. This makes sense, since amethyst grows naturally in so many places all over the world.
Interestingly, amethyst grows into extremely large crystals; for example, the GIA Museum once displayed an amethyst crystal that weighed 164 lbs. The large crystal size gives lapidaries enough raw material to play with different cuts and styles and therefore produce large-cut gems for unique and bold jewelry pieces.
The huge amount of availability for amethyst keep its cost down, so you can get so much more for your money. If you like bold, statement amethyst fine jewelry but also want great value, then this gem may be for you! However, it's important to note that if you did opt for an artistic, designer cut of amethyst, you’d pay a significant premium for the lapidary’s time and expertise.
As with any gemstone, amethyst is available in a wide range of prices. When shopping around for amethyst and assessing its value, one of the biggest quality factors to consider for this gem is its color. Depth of color is hugely important, since amethyst can range from very light lilac to a very deep purple. Amethyst also exhibits "color zoning", which reduces the monetary value of the stone. However, don't let one expert's idea of what's valuable deter you from getting what you like! If you prefer the light lilac look, then you should get what resonates with you.
In terms of clarity, most faceted amethyst is “eye-clean” which means you cannot see any inclusions with the naked eye. Although it's rarer to see amethyst gems that have inclusions, they would be considered lower quality and be priced less than eye-clean stones.
Even though amethyst is mined all over the world, some of the highest-quality gems are found right here in the United States. For me, sourcing American amethyst is an important factor in choosing gems because I highly value buying American and shopping local.
Of the top states for gem mining in the United States, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Maine have the greatest amount of amethyst deposits. Other amethyst deposits are found in Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, and Montana. Generally, amethysts found in the US range from medium-to-high color saturation, making them higher quality in that respect.
Some of the most notable United States mines for amethyst are Jackson’s Crossroads in Georgia, Emerald Hollow Mine in North Carolina, and my personal favorite: the Four Peaks Mine in Arizona. In fact, each amethyst pictured in this post came from Four Peaks!
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