Amethyst

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz and owes its violet color to irradiation, iron impurities, and the presence of trace elements. The hardness is 7 on the Mohs scale. Amethyst occurs in primary hues from light pinkish violet to deep purple. The best varieties of amethysts can be found in Siberia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and the far East. The ideal grade is called “Deep Siberian” and has a primary purple hue of around 75-80%, with 15-20% blue and red secondary hues.

The Greek word “amethystos” may be translated as “not drunken”. Amethyst was considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness and some wine goblets were carved from it. Amethyst is the birthstone of February.