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Amethyst choker set
Amethyst necklace£9.99
Amethyst necklace and bracelet
Amethyst and cats eye necklace, bracelet and earrings
Amethyst and pearl set
Amethyst and bead set £8 + £1 P+P (U.K)
Amethyst silver earrings JA190
Amethyst earrings JA191
Amethyst ring
Amethyst and shell jewellery set
Should you have any enquiries about any of these items of amethyst jewellery please by e-mail.
Amethyst the mineral
Of the numerous varieties of quartz that are popular as gemstones amethyst is the most valuable. Even so amethyst is a comparatively cheap gemstone even for top quality specimens. This is due to the abundance with which amethysts are found. There is large commercial mining of amethysts in a number of countries including Uruguay and Brazil in South America, Mexico, Canada and the state of Arizona in North America, Namibia, Madagascar and Zambia in Africa as well as Myanmar (formerly Burma), India and Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) in Asia. Small quantities of small amethysts have been found in the UK in Cornwall, Wales and the Channel Isles.
The colour of amethyst varies from pale violet to deep purple. This colour is derived from small quantities of iron present in the quartz crystals and varies greatly according to where the amethyst originates. Heating amethyst crystals causes the colour to change and some amethyst treated like this is sold as citrine.
Amethyst crystals grow onto a base rock and sometimes, ornamental pieces are cut including the base rock. Examples of amethyst used in this way include cut figures and knife handles.
Amethyst quartz is a variation of amethyst where the amethyst forms in layers mixed with milky quartz. As well as being polished and used as beads for necklaces or cut as cabochons (cut with a flat bottom and rounded top) for setting in rings or pendants, amethyst quartz is also used for various ornamental objects.
Amethyst the gem stone
The name amethyst is derived from the Greek words "a" meaning not and "metho" meaning to be drunk. This is due to the belief in ancient Greece that amethyst crystals offered protection against drunkenness. This led to the wearing of amethyst amulets to ward off the effects of alcohol. A drinking goblet from ancient Rome made of amethyst is an indication that this belief in the power of amethyst transferred from Greece to Rome.
Amethyst has been used for jewellery and decorative objects for thousands of years. Jewellery made of amethyst has for a long time been worn by officials of the Christian church.
The amethyst has been seen as a precious gem since biblical times and the bible contains numerous references to amethyst. At one time amethysts were considered of equal value to diamonds. However the discovery of large quantities of amethyst in South America during the nineteenth century massively reduced the value of both cut and crude amethysts. The twentieth century saw scientists develop techniques to grow more and more different synthetic crystals (including diamonds) on an industrial scale and synthetic amethyst is now quite common. It is essentially impossible to tell the difference between synthetic amethysts and natural amethysts after they have been polished and cut.
Although amethyst is no longer as highly valued as a gem stone as in the past, it remains a popular stone in all types of jewellery. The colour of amethyst means it sits well besides expensive stones including diamonds in rings, while its cheapness and abundance makes amethyst popular for necklaces and bracelets in cheaper costume and fashion jewellery. In more expensive jewellery amethysts will be carefully cut and polished while in cheaper necklaces and bracelets rougher cut stones presented in a more natural state, relying on the intrinsic beauty of the amethyst stone.
Amethyst is the birth stone or stone of the month for February. The sign of the zodiac associate with amethyst is pieces.
We cannot guarantee the effectiveness of our amethyst necklaces and bracelets against the intoxicating effects of modern alcoholic beverages.
