Amethyst Gem, Price, and Jewelry Information

In this article, you will learn key facts about amethyst:

• The origins and meaning behind amethyst crystals and their historical significance
• How to evaluate its quality and what determines its value
• The distinctive properties that make it an excellent choice for jewelry
• How to identify genuine stones and care for your jewelry properly

What Is Amethyst?

Amethyst is crystalline quartz in colors ranging from pale lilac to deep reddish purple. The February birthstone makes a fine, durable gemstone for all purposes, from jewelry to carved objects. With a relatively high hardness of 7, this purple gemstone is an excellent facetable jewelry gem suitable for various applications. Lower grades of this stone can be cabbed, carved, and transformed into beads and other ornamental objects.

Amethyst Significance and Symbolism

People have prized amethyst for thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians carved these durable gemstone crystals into animal shapes, possibly as protective amulets. The Ancient Greeks created amethyst carvings and jewelry pieces and originated one of the most enduring bits of folklore—its supposed power to prevent drunkenness. Other ancient civilizations associated its properties with protection and clarity of mind.

To learn more about the myths and legends associated with this gem, consult our symbolism article.

Why Does Amethyst Make an Excellent Jewelry Stone?

As a variety of quartz, amethysts have the hardness (7) and wearability to be used in any type of jewelry setting, including rings. 

Transparent, eye-clean amethysts suitable for faceting occur abundantly, and gem cutters can facet them with almost any design suitable to their size and color.

Amethyst's versatility in jewelry applications stems from:

• Barion cuts work exceptionally well for large, lightly colored amethyst stones.
• Shallow designs and fantasy cuts are ideal for darker amethyst gemstones.
• Skilled faceters can experiment with custom designs that maximize color and brilliance.
• Amethyst crystals serve beautifully as centerpieces and accent stones in jewelry.
• Lapidaries can utilize amethysts for carvings, beads, and various decorative objects.

How to Distinguish Amethyst from Similar Purple Gemstones

Amethyst may appear similar to other popular transparent gemstones such as sapphires, spinels, and rhodolite garnets. However, since these gems rarely occur in purple colors, you're more likely to encounter amethysts misidentified as these rarer and more expensive stones.

Notable differences between amethyst and similar purple gemstones include:

• Optical and physical properties vary significantly between these gemstones.
• Refractive indices (RI) are higher in sapphires, spinels, and rhodolites compared to amethyst.
• Spinels and rhodolites are isometric, while amethyst is not.
• These alternative purple gemstones all have greater specific gravity values than amethyst.

How Does Amethyst Get Its Color?

Natural amethyst receives its color from the presence of iron and other trace elements as well as natural irradiation. The characteristic purple amethyst color can range from pale lilac to deep reddish purple.

Amethyst color characteristics include:

• Amethysts may show color zoning, both uneven (unintentional) color distribution.
• Color bands (intentional) can appear in some specimens.
• The intensity of purple coloration directly impacts the gemstone's value.
• Pink amethyst and green amethyst represent color variations within this stone family.

What's the Difference Between Amethyst and Ametrine?

Ametrine is a variety of quartz with two distinct color zones, purple and yellow. These layers result from stop-and-start growth during the formation of the crystal underground, a process known as twinning. Since purple quartz is amethyst and yellow quartz is citrine, such a gem consists of amethyst and citrine zones, hence the name.

Characteristics of ametrines include:

• Faceters typically cut ametrines into rectangular emerald-cut shapes to highlight the two colors.
• Some gem cutters opt for designs that combine the zones, creating interesting color flashes.
• Ametrine provides a unique two-tone effect not found in single-color amethyst stones.
• This bicolor gemstone offers creative possibilities for distinctive jewelry designs.

Are There Synthetic Amethysts?

Amethysts can be grown hydrothermally in labs, and manufacturers can also create them by bombarding specially prepared smoky quartz with gamma rays.

The market for synthetic amethyst is limited because:

• Natural amethyst is abundant and inexpensive, creating little incentive to purchase synthetics.
• Synthetic rough material is sometimes sold as natural rough, creating authentication challenges.
• Lab-created pieces may closely resemble natural stone in appearance but differs in formation.
• Experienced gemologists can typically identify synthetic specimens through careful examination.

Amethyst Enhancements

A variety of treatments can change the color of amethysts. However, strictly speaking, only those gems with lilac to deep purple colors remain amethysts. All others simply become different colored varieties of quartz. For example, amethysts heated to yellow or red-orange colors are, by definition, citrines.

Common enhancement processes include:

• Heat treatments can lighten amethyst, turning it green, blue, or yellow-orange with excellent stability.
• Amethysts heated to 400-500º C may turn brown, red, and sometimes green (known as prasiolite).
• Irradiation plus heating may produce brown, orange, and yellow hues.
• These treatments alter the fundamental color properties of the original amethyst crystal.

Where Are Amethyst Gemstones Found?

Today's major amethyst sources are Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Zambia. Brazil can produce stones of large size but generally moderate color, often showing uneven color despite cutters' best efforts. Many gem enthusiasts prefer the usually smaller but more richly colored stones from Zambia and Uruguay.

Four Peaks, Arizona produces top-quality facetable amethyst.

Notable amethyst sources include:

• Four Peaks, Arizona produces top-quality facetable pieces.
• Australia, India, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Russia, and South Korea yield quality specimens.
• United States sources include Georgia and North Carolina.
• Each location produces stones with slightly distinctive color characteristics.

Amethyst Stone Sizes

Most quartz can grow quite large and be cut into gems weighing thousands of carats. However, there are few clean examples of amethysts of 100 or more carats. Although transparent amethyst occurs commonly, this rarely happens in very large masses.

Notable large amethyst specimens:

• The Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC) possesses exceptional transparent amethysts.
• A 1,362-carat Brazilian stone represents one of the largest museum-quality specimens.
• A 202.5-carat stone from North Carolina demonstrates American amethyst quality.
• Large, clean crystals command premium prices due to their rarity.

Amethyst Value: What Determines its Worth?

Value for amethyst gemstones depends almost entirely on its color. Siberian mines once produced the world's finest amethyst stones that featured a particularly rich purple color with red and blue flashes. Today, "Siberian" no longer refers to origins but serves as a trade and grade term for colors similar to those of the amethysts mined in Siberia.

Key factors affecting amethyst value include:

• Color intensity and saturation, with rich purple amethyst commanding higher prices.
• Light-colored varieties has enjoyed renewed popularity, with the lightest pinkish violet shades marketed as "Rose de France."
• Artistry in gemstone faceting can enhance these gems when given fancy and unusual cuts.
• Size impacts value gradually rather than exponentially since amethyst is readily available in large sizes.
• Clarity matters, as visible inclusions or inferior cutting significantly reduce value.

For more comprehensive information on amethyst value factors, consult our amethyst buying guide.

Common Trade Names

Specific trade names help identify particular qualities and varieties of amethyst:

• Siberian: dark purple color with flashes of red and/or blue
• Golden: another term for ametrine
• Various color-specific names help consumers identify amethyst varieties in the marketplace.

Misleading Amethyst Misnomers to Be Aware Of

You might encounter amethysts heated to a brownish yellow color sold as "Madeira topaz." Stones with lighter shades are sometimes sold as "Palmyra topaz," while amethysts heated to a reddish color sometimes receive the name "Spanish topaz."

Other misleading terminology includes:

• Other gem species sometimes receive names connecting them to amethyst.
• Violet sapphire is sometimes erroneously referred to as "oriental amethyst."
• Kunzite is occasionally mislabeled as "lithia amethyst."
• All these names are misleading since amethyst, as quartz, belongs to a species distinct from topaz, sapphire, and kunzite.

Consult our list of gemstones with false or misleading names for more examples of this practice.

How to Properly Care for Your Jewelry

Although quartz gems are very durable, amethysts remain sensitive to extreme heat. Furthermore, inclusions can make these gems susceptible to shattering in ultrasonic cleaners.

Best practices for care include:

• Avoid mechanical cleaning systems that could damage your amethyst gemstone.
• Stick to a soft brush, mild detergent, and warm water for cleaning.
• Store amethyst jewelry separately from harder gemstones to prevent scratching.
• Remove your jewelry before engaging in strenuous physical activities.

See our gemstone care guide for additional recommended cleaning methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes amethyst purple in color?

Amethyst gets its distinctive purple color from the presence of iron and other trace elements within the crystal structure, combined with natural irradiation. The intensity of the purple hue can range from pale lilac to deep reddish purple, affecting its value and classification.

Is green amethyst a real gemstone?

Green amethyst, technically called prasiolite, is a heat-treated version of amethyst. When it is heated to 400-500º C, it can turn green. While this is a real gemstone, it's important to note that once it changes color from purple, it becomes a different variety of quartz by definition.

How can I tell if my amethyst is real or synthetic?

While natural variety is abundant and inexpensive (making synthetics less common), synthetic rough material is sometimes sold as natural. Professional gemologists can identify synthetics through careful examination of growth patterns and inclusions. Natural amethysts often show color zoning or banding that synthetic stones typically lack.

Which countries produce the best quality s tones ?

While Brazil produces large-sized amethysts with moderate color, many gem enthusiasts prefer the smaller but more richly colored stones from Zambia and Uruguay. Siberian amethysts were historically considered the finest, featuring rich purple color with red and blue flashes. Today, "Siberian" refers to this quality rather than origin.

Why is amethyst considered a good gemstone for jewelry?

Amethyst makes an excellent jewelry stone because it has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, making it durable and resistant to scratching. It's readily available in eye-clean, transparent specimens suitable for faceting, and its color works well with various metals and gemstone accents. It can be used in any type of jewelry setting, including daily-wear rings.

How should I clean my jewelry?

To properly care for amethyst jewelry, avoid extreme heat and ultrasonic cleaners, as inclusions can make these gems susceptible to shattering. The safest cleaning method is using a soft brush, mild detergent, and warm water. Store amethyst jewelry separately from harder gemstones to prevent scratching and remove before strenuous activities.