Amethyst, is the purple variety of quartz, and the most sought after and prized. It is said that if you like purple, then you like being in the spotlight. I am not a purple fan, but Amethyst, in the deeper hues of purple, are quite lovely. Amethyst has been around, for hundreds of years, and is a very durable gemstone. Amethyst is the birthstone for February. It has a hardness of 7, on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Amethyst can be found in faceted, cabachon, beads, chips, geodes, and even ornamental carvings. It is a very versatile stone, in the gemstone world. Amethyst can be heat treated, to deepen the purple color. Very light colored Amethyst, when heat treated becomes a soft minty green color called Prasiolite. I will write more about Prasiolite, at another time. Heat treated Amethyst, will also turn a golden yellow color, called Citrine. I read recently, that 90% of the Citrine on the market today, is actually heat treated Amethyst. To get a natural unheated Citrine is extremely rare. Another very rare form of Amethyst is Ametrine. Ametrine, is part Amethyst and part Citrine. It is natural, and untreated and found primarily in Bolivia, and very little in Brazil. Both of these lovely rings are available for sale, in my Etsy store, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6007466The first ring, is set in sterling silver featuring a Marquis Amethyst surrounded by pink Sapphires. It is a stunning ring. The second one is also set in sterling silver, featuring a deep rich purple Amethyst. My prices are good, I offer a layaway service, and the very first person to spend 25 dollars, gets a free sterling silver black Sapphire ring.
