Amethyst - Historical and Modern

Amethyst is a popular gemstone. It has a number of characteristics and colors which have endeared people to its worth and enables it to be a popular choice for all types of jewelry. The pinkish lavender shade is called ?Rose de France.? It is less sought after than the intense violet shade called ?Siberian? which is the most-sought after shade of all. The latter shade is found in Siberia, Zambia and Uruguay. Ametrine comes from Bolivia which shows alternating bands of citrine orange and purple. Oriental amethyst is also the name of the purple corundum as well as fine samples of amethystine quartz which does not necessarily come from the Eastern regions of the globe.

During the 20th century, its purple color was attributed to manganese. However, the color or shades does not remain consistent and this led some to believe that the change is due to an organic content. Some studies showed that sulfur could be found in amethyst while some suggests the presence of ferric thiocyanate. When the amethyst is exposed to heat, the color changes to yellow which is why they are then referred to as burnt amethyst.

On its chemical composition, amethyst is produced by irregular superimposition of quartz. This characteristic is generally attributed to mechanical stresses which in turn, creates a very fragile make-up. All quartz that has this composition or structure is now generally labeled as amethyst.

Historically amethyst has been of great use in attempting to guard against drunken behavior and for fighting addiction. Additionally it has been used for diverse reasons such as in hearing disorders, sleep disorders, pain and even mental disorders. It folklore is to be believed it can also help in dreams, peacefulness, love, spiritual wellbeing, strength and happiness.

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