Amethyst, February’s birthstone, has been fashionable as a decorative stone since the days of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. This gemstone is important to healers, as it is widely distributed and therefore very reasonable in price. Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz. The mineral quartz, both natural as well as synthetic, has numerous industrial uses and practical applications, as in electronic devices and as resonators to generate waves of a fixed frequency. Purple amethyst, though, is valued as a gemstone, by collectors and jewelry enthusiasts, and as beads, bookends, sculptured carvings, bottles and boxes, and other decorative items. It is also important to those who use gemstones for healing. Those born in February claim amethyst as their birthstone.
Once, amethyst was considered a cardinal, or most valued stone along with ruby, sapphire, diamond and emerald. Discoveries of amethyst in Brazil, Russia, and other places caused the value to drop. Today amethyst is quite affordable, although the rare Deep Siberian color can bring a good price. Historically, amethysts were set in the British Crown Jewels, greatly admired by royalty such as Catherine the Great, and prized by the Christian church as a stone worn by bishops and others of high rank.
Amethyst is from the Greek word “amethystous”, meaning "not intoxicated". Thus, wine goblets were carved from this grape-colored quartz, and it was believed the stone protected against drunkenness.
Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Anglo-Saxons used amethyst for various ornamental objects including intaglios and beads. Amethyst mines are distributed widely across the planet. Much is mined in Brazil in the form of geodes, some that are two meters in height. Russia, Zambia, Canada and the US also produce this purple stone. And important deposits can be found in Austria, Madagascar, Mexico, India, Uruguay, Namibia and Sri Lanka.
Amethyst is said to look best in soft, warm natural light.
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