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Amethyst - the symbol of faithful love

Leonardo da Vinci considered amethyst to increase intelligence and to keep evil thoughts away. The amethyst has been considered as a protective amulet and it is still believed as a symbol of faithful love. Amethyst is the birthstone of February.

The origin of the name

The name "amethyst" comes from the Greek word "amethystos," meaning "not intoxicate." This likely refers to the belief that the stone protected its owner against drunkenness.

The Egyptian Pharaohs favored the gemstone and the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom include several collections of the beautiful and royal amethyst gemstone. The apostle Mattias was associated with amethyst, as a symbol of purity and celibacy. Amethyste has been widely used in churches as a symbol of piety.

Here, you can find amethyst

The most important occurrences can be found in Brazil, Uruguay and in Madagascar. Amethyst can be also be synthesized in the laboratory. The best qualities are cut to jewellery, while the rest are being crafted into art objects.

The bright color

Amethyst is a transparent variety of the quartz groups, each consisting of several different gems. The amethyst belongs to group A - such as mountain crystals, citrine and smoke quartz - which largely have the same chemical composition an a hardness of 7 on Moh’s scale, named after Friedrich Mohs (1773-1839), which created the international standard for measuring the hardness of minerals.

The color can vary from nearly transparent violet to completely dark purple. The typical color is a rich, violet-purple, often distributed in patches or band – depending on iron impurities and irradiation. The colour can be changed, if heated to around 400-500°C, but when the temperature increases 575°C the gem becomes transparent.

Amethyst is one of the most precious and valuable stones of the quartz group.