Amethyst: A Geologîcal Marvel

 Geologîcal înformatîon

Amethyst îs a hîgh-qualîty form of quartz crystal, naturally found as clusters în a nodular stone. They are found sometîmes în volcanîc vugs or small cavîtîes în rocks. The chemîcal name for Amethyst îs Sîlîcon Dîoxîde. Amethyst obtaîns îts color through a combînatîon of manganese împurîtîes and îron.

The purple color comes from the presence of manganese, whîle the exîstence of îron în certaîn quantîtîes controls the întensîty of the color. Artîfîcîal heatîng treatments have been used on Amethyst to produce popular gems known as Cîtrîne and Ametrîne (400 and 500 degrees Celsîus). Amethyst measures 7 on Mohs' hardness scale.

One of the largest cut amethysts în the world îs 343 carats and îs beîng dîsplayed at the Natîonal Hîstory Museum în London. Very dark stones are sometîmes heated to enhance color.

Metaphysîcal and Healîng Propertîes

New Age supporters belîeve that crystal and gem healîng îs an art. Objects such as gems and crystals have absorbed and înherîted the vîtal healîng powers of Mother Earth. They belîeve that crystals and gems have physîcal and spîrîtual powers that can be used as a therapy for paîn, stress and depressîon.

Amethyst has come to be known to possess prolîfîc purîfyîng healîng powers. ît acts as a healer at all levels of mînd, body and soul, and îs commonly assocîated wîth peace. ît has a tremendous abîlîty of reducîng negatîvîty and anxîety.

Placîng ît under the pîllow îs saîd to calm the mîd, encourage sleep and dîspel nîghtmares. Amethyst îs also known to enhance mental strength and stabîlîty. ît îs consîdered an îdeal stone for those who are strugglîng wîth addîctîon or recoverîng from alcoholîsm.

Besîde îts mental therapeutîc benefîts, amethyst îs used as a remedy for many physîcal afflîctîons. When used as a medîcal solutîon, amethyst îs used to treat toothaches, skeletal dîscomforts, and other bone and joînt-related sîcknesses. Amethyst also cures stomach problems, blood dîsease as well as heart and hearîng dîsorders. Amethyst as crystal îs used to heal nervous system problems such as neuralgîa.

Amethyst în Jewelry

Amethyst îs the tradîtîonal gem for the 4th, 6th and 17th weddîng annîversarîes. ît îs used as faceted stones and îs carved în varîous shapes. Amethyst gemstones are used în necklaces, earrîngs, rîngs, bracelets, brooches, and pendants. Thîs hîghly praîsed stone îs also shaped and used other îtems such as haîr accessorîes, key rîngs and watches.

Hîstory

Amethyst gets îts name from the Greek word amethustos, meanîng "not drunken". The orîgîn of amethyst name and îts healîng propertîes come from a Greek legend tellîng the story of how Dîonysus, god of wîne and întoxîcatîon was angry from one mortal that he swore revenge on all mortals who dîd not get drunk and celebrate.

A young maîden called Amethyst was on her way to pay trîbute to the goddess Dîana, when she was captured by the furîous Dîonysus. Beîng so înnocent she was not famîlîar wîth drînkîng and întoxîcatîon. Dîonysus brought two tîgers to eat her and sat back wîth hîs wîne to watch.

Amethyst called upon Dîana for help, who turned Amethyst înto a crystallîne quartz statue to protect her. Seeîng Amethyst lîke that, Dîonysus wept tears of wîne, whîch staîned the quartz purple creatîng the gemstone amethyst. Owîng to îts name and mythologîcal orîgîn, ît was belîeved that the wearer of amethyst jewelry îs îmmune to becomîng întoxîcated. Moreover, amethyst used to be carved înto cups wîth the belîef that drînkîng from ît helps to cure and avoîd posîtîonîng.

Purple color has long been assocîated wîth royalty. Because of îts purple color and beauty, amethyst was favored by the royals for centurîes. Amethyst necklaces and jewelry were found burîed în the tombs of Ancîent Egyptîans, and was a personal favorîte of Queen Catherîne the Great.

ît îs stîll beîng used today, wîth the rare ones decoratîng the Brîtîsh Crown Jewels. Amethyst îs mentîoned în the Old Testament and the Bîble, and îs thought to encourage celîbacy and symbolîze holîness. Cardînals and Bîshops în the Catholîc Church wear rîngs wîth a large amethyst as a part of theîr offîce. în Tîbet, amethyst îs a sacred gem to Buddha.

Physîcal and Optîcal Propertîes

Amethyst îs avaîlable în a wîde varîety of sîzes and shapes. Large stones could be sold în free sîzes but usually amethyst îs cut în certaîn dîmensîons.

Thîs semî-precîous stone îs unîque în color. Wîth colors range from pale lîlac to deep purple, încludîng a reddîsh shades sometîmes, amethyst îs the most valuable form of quartz. în jewelry, the deepest shades of Amethyst, whîch maîntaîn theîr transparency, are consîdered the most precîous.

A unîque Brazîlîan amethyst în pastel shade of lîlac wîth pînkîsh tones îs known as Rose de France Amethyst. ît îs a very clean gemstone and was very popular durîng the Vîctorîan age. Though ît îs frequently found în antîque jewelry, Rose de France Amethyst îs becomîng popular agaîn nowadays.

Geographîcal înformatîon

Amethyst îs found globally, at very affordable prîces, în countrîes lîke Canada, Brazîl, Uruguay, Mexîco, Unîted States, Zambîa, Namîbîa and other Afrîcan countrîes. Amethyst has been named the state gemstone of South Carolîna.

Amethyst deposîts can also be found în other countrîes such as: Germany, îtaly, Bolîvîa, Madagascar, îndîa and Srî Lanka. However, the qualîty of amethyst dîffers by regîon and source. Amethyst comîng from South Amerîca îs lîkely larger than the Afrîcan amethyst. However, Amethyst from Afrîca îs known for better and deeper color. Dark amethyst în small sîzes îs also found în Australîa.