Do You Dream of Amethyst?
Amethyst, and Sterling Bracelet (Sparkling Lavender)
Amethyst just happens to be February's birth stone in addition to being in this winter's color forecast! There are two birthdays in my family this month; my son Quinn, and my dog, Carmella.
I just finished the above bracelet and as you can see it looks lovely with pink. Those are my courderoy pants it's resting on! You can also wear it with white, black, or any shade of purple.
The segments of woven mesh are Ndeble and they really sparkle with their rainbow surface, reflecting light in shades of lavender with pink and blue undertones.
All About Amethyst:
Amethyst ranges from nearly colorless to a very dark purple approaching black but is generally some shade of purple.
It has a hardness of 7 on the Moh's scale, and it's composition is Si02 (made from Sulfur and Oxygen).
The stone is a variety of Quartz which formed as a result of shifting of the earth's crust, called Lamellae.
The largest sources of Amethyst are in Southern Brazil and Uruguay, and also Madagascar. It is also found in Idar-Oberstein, Germany, Argentina, Russia (mostly near the Ural Mountains), Canada, in various African countries, and some is found in parts of the US such as Maine, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Colorado, although not as much of that material is gem grade. Small deposits of dark Amethyst has been found in Australia.
The Amethyst found in South America is generally found in larger pieces, but African Amethyst is reputed to be better saturated although the rough comes in smaller sizes.
Experts can often tell a stone's origin from the color
History and Folklore:
Deposits are often very large with gem grade pieces often being as large as a fist! Some can weigh as much as 700 Carats. The first find appeared in Mexico in 1900 and the pocket measured 33 X 16 X 10 Feet! It weighed more than 8 tons!
The color was first attributed to Maganese, but is now thought to be Ferric Thiocynate.
The name Amethyst means in Greek "not drunken" origiating from the myth of Dionysus, the God of intoxication. The legend is that Dionysus was angered by a mortal one day and vowed to take revenge on the next mortal he saw, sending Tigers after a young girl named Amethyst who was on her way to visit te Goddess Diana.
To protect the maiden from the ensuing attack by the tigers Diana turned Amethyst into a crystal Quartz statue, but when Dionysus saw the statue he wept tears of wine, turning the clear to purple.
The Catholic Church associated the stone with piety and was believed to encourage celibacy in the Middle Ages. These and other churches of that era used alot of Amethyst in their decor.Chalices have been crafted out of Amethyst in an attempt to prevent drunkenness, and bishops have been know to wear Amethyst rings.
The stone has long been asociated with royalty and considered sacred, and this ideology spans many different cultures, including Tibetan, Egyptian, and British. In Tibet rosaries have been carved in Amethyst in the belief that this gemstone is sacred to Buddha.
Leonardo DaVinci believed that Amethyst was capable of "dissipating evil thoughts and quickening intelligence"
Astrological signs strongly associated with this gem are Pisces, Virgo, Aquarious, and Capricorn.
It is considered the traditional stone for one's 17th wedding anniversary.
Victorian jewelry often contained the pale variety of Amethyst known as "Rose De France".
Because of the strong emotional and spirital significance given the stone it would be considered much more valuable than it is today if it were not so readily available.
Sources:
You can find lots of Amethyst in my shops and I am always adding more! It is a beautiful stone and provides great value in jewelry. I have some very nice examples of it in both etsy shops. Just click on the pictures to get all the details and to purchase and be sure to look around while you're there, as I couldn't include all of my Amethyst in this article;
Amethyst Stud Earrings Precision Facetted by Swarogem Set in Sterling Prong Setting
Marisela-Faceted and Smooth AAA Amethyst and Bali Sterling Jewelry Set
Amethyst and Fluorite with Czech Crystal and Seedbead Necklace
Amethyst, Pearl, Hematite, and Fluorite Necklace
Autumn Corn Earrings
Sugilite/Amethyst Earrings
Natural Amethyst Crystal Point 4
Small Cactus Quartz (approx. 1 inch long)
(These Cactus Quartz and more available in my shop).
