Interested in a piece of Amethyst jewelry? This stunning stone has interesting ties to spirituality and history that’s perfect if you’re wanting heirloom-quality pieces with a unique background. In this guide, we’re going in depth of the beloved violet quartz to discuss its spiritual and healing properties, and how to find the perfect Amethyst for you to wear for years to come.
What Is Amethyst?
If you were born in February, then you’re likely no stranger to the Amethyst. The Amethyst is a gorgeous stone full of purple shades that can also contain violet hues. Like most gemstones, the Amethyst dates back to ancient Greek times and derives from the name “amethystos” which translates to “not drunk.” During this time period, the Greeks believed that wearing this gemstone kept them from intoxication.
Formation & Structure
The Amethyst is formed from a reaction of silica-rich, mineral-laden water seeping into the cavities or geodes of cracks in volcanic rocks. These cavities and geodes are formed by trapped gas in cooling lava that causes the silica-rich water to crystallize which then forms the Amethyst.
Within the crystallized structure is iron impurities and natural radiation from the volcanic rock. The iron impurities become agitated from the radiation and releases excess energy as light, giving the crystal its stunning purple hue.
Purple Hue & Varieties
Amethyst jewelry most always comes in some form of purple, but there are different hues you can find to match your preferred level of deep or light shades. There are even two unique styles of Amethyst stones that have pink and green colors.
Here are the most common Amethyst varieties and their hues:
- Deep Siberian: Mostly found in mines in Russia, the Deep Siberian Amethyst sports a deep color close to grape jelly.
Siberian: Sports the same hues as Deep Siberian but not as high of a grade. The Deep Siberian Amethyst has a higher percentage of purple hues than a Siberian Amethyst.
- Pink: Contains the same chemical compounds as purple Amethysts but has microscopic hematite inclusions that give the gem its pink hue.
- Green: Called “Prasiolite,” these gems are exposed to extremely high temperatures that produce a green hue.
Historical & Cultural Significance
Greek Mythology
Along with the ancient Greeks’ belief about the Amethyst keeping them from intoxication, the stone also has ties to Greek Mythology. The story goes that the god Dionysus was in love with a woman named Amethystos who did not mutually return the feelings. Fueled from the feelings of rejection, Dionysus tried to kill Amethystos with tigers, but the goddess Diana intervened and protected her by turning her into a white stone that Dionysus then poured wine over, which turned the stone purple.
Royalty & Clergy – Use in crowns, bishops’ rings, February birthstone tradition.
Apart from Greek mythology, the Amethyst has ties back to history with the stone being a prominent use in royal jewelry. The Amethyst was seen as a stone of power, wealth, and royalty, so most royal jewelry like crowns – and even bishop rings – included this affluent, vibrant stone.
Using the Amethyst for Its Metaphysical Properties
Other than using the Amethyst for a piece of jewelry, many believe the gemstone has other practical uses such as spiritual purification, crystal healing, and enhancing intuition.
Spiritual Purification
The Amethyst is believed to promote spiritual connection by connecting you to higher powers and angels since the stone is associated with the third-eyes of the crown chakra. The purple hues of this gemstone has ties to spirituality that’s said to open the crown chakra’s connection to spiritual powers.
Crystal Healing for Emotional & Wellness
On top of bringing about spiritual awareness, the amethyst is seen as a crystal capable of supporting emotional and mental wellbeing. The stone encourages calmness throughout the body to promote stress relief and bring a state of tranquility over the body, which can help aid in sleep support.
Enhancing Intuition & Psychic Abilities – How amethyst enhances intuition and meditation.
The Amethyst’s ability to activate the third-eye of the crown chakra and support your wellbeing ties together to enhance your mind’s intuition. Since this stone is supposed to bring clarity and peace, it helps to give you a deeper connection to spiritual insight to result in more powerful meditation.
Tips for Choosing & Caring for Amethyst
Like diamonds, Amethyst jewelry is valuable and precious, which means you should always take care of it. Here’s how to choose the best piece of amethyst jewelry and practice proper maintenance so your heirloom pieces stay looking brand new.
Value & Grading
The Amethyst is valued and graded similar to diamonds with color, clarity and cut. The color of an amethyst is likely the most important factor since stones with an even, deep color are of the highest quality. Clarity refers to any flaws that can or cannot be seen, and cut refers to the facets along the stone that reflect light to show off the stone’s brilliance.
Amethyst jewelry with richer color, fewer flaws, and higher brilliance will be more costly due to the stone’s elegance, sophistication, and purity.
Synthetic & Heat-Treated – Identifying lab-grown or altered stones.
Whether an Amethyst was formed naturally in the earth or grown in a lab also impacts the stone’s price. It doesn’t, however, impact the stone’s realness. Lab-grown Amethysts are just as real as natural ones since they contain the same chemical compounds. The difference comes in more subtly.
Lab-grown diamonds contain a more uniformed look when held under a light since the creation process is more controlled. Natural Amethysts contain percentages of other hues, like blue, that you can see in light, so that’s a big indicator when trying to determine whether your stone is natural or man-made.
Cleaning & Storage
Caring for an amethyst looks the same as caring for other stones. It’s best to wash your jewelry at least twice a year at home with a solution made of warm water and mild dish soap. Drop your Amethyst jewelry into the soapy water to soak for several minutes before gently scrubbing with a soft bristled brush. Rinse the soap off and then dry with a clean microfiber cloth before wearing again or storing.
To store your Amethyst, always keep it is a cool, dry place that’s out of direct sunlight. A soft-lined jewelry box is the best place to store your jewelry whenever you’re not wearing it.