Amethyst – From Ancient Greece to Modern Royalty &
Everyone in Between
I remember the first time I saw an amethyst ring. Utterly fascinated with the color purple and
rocks in general at the tender age of about five, the realization that both
could be found together in a sparkly gem was AMAZING. The ring was a simple solitaire and my
grandmother promised that she would send it to me when I was older. Presumably, when it would actually fit me
without falling off. And so my life-long
passion for purple and amethysts began.
Amethysts have always been a coveted stone, from ancient
Greece, where they were believed to cure/prevent drunkenness. Because of the deep purple color, the Greeks
associated amethysts with wine and of course, the Gods of winos, Dionysus. For protection against drunkenness, cups and
goblets were decorated with amethysts, and citizens wore the gemstone as well
as amulets of protection. Considering
the ample consumption of wine in the ancient Greek culture, I am fairly certain
that no gemstone, no matter how powerful, would be able to keep most of
populace stone sober. Just look at
bacchanals.
Amethysts were highly coveted by members of the aristocracy
as well as various royal houses around the world, because purple was the color
of royalty. A flawless amethyst with its
deep purple glow would have seemed to be heaven sent to declare heads of
state. Because of the scarcity of
amethysts until the 19th century, the cost was on par with emeralds
and rubies until that time. Fortunately,
very large deposits of amethyst were discovered in Brazil and so the amethyst
became a much more affordable option for gemstone enthusiasts worldwide.
Some of the most famous amethyst pieces are:
The “Delhi Sapphire” wasn’t a sapphire at all – but a
stunning amethyst. Taken from a temple
in India in the 1850’s, it is said to be cursed. It currently maintains its mystery in the
Natural History Museum in London.
The Tiffany Amethyst is an over 50-carat square gem that is
currently in the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian.
The lovely and incomparable Wallis Simpson aka. The Duchess
of Windsor wore a stunning amethyst necklace with diamond and turquoise accents
by Cartier that was as much of a show stopper as she was.
Some quick facts about amethysts:
-
- February’s official birthstone since the early
1900s
-
- Mohs scale – 7
- - Light lavender colored amethysts are called ‘rose de france’.
- - A variety of quartz
-
- Found in large deposits in Brazil, Colombia and
Arizona
-
- Often found with other quartz such as rose
quartz, smoky quartz and citrine
-
- Amethysts are thought to guard against insomnia
and as a protection against evil.
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