February's Birthstone ~ Amethyst

The story is told that Dionysus, the Greek God of wine, was insulted by a mortal one day. Enraged, he called forth vicious tigers to exact revenge on the next mortal who crossed his path. This individual was the maiden Amethyst. On her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana, she found herself face to face with the tigers of the vengeful God. To save her from the beasts, Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure crystalline quartz. So beautiful was the maiden that Dionysus, in sorrow and remorse, wept tears of rich wine over the statue, staining the quartz and creating the gem which still bears the maiden's name.

Gem Facts- 

♦Amethyst belongs to the quartz species and is related to rock crystal, citrine, praseolite (a rare, greenish form of quartz) and chalcedony (or agate).

♦Russia remains a classic source for amethyst. Other sources include Brazil, Bolivia, South Africa, South Korea, the United States, Uruguay and Zambia.

♦Amethyst is a durable gemstone with a hardness of 7.0 on the Mohs Hardness Scale.

♦Amethyst can be cut in many shapes and sizes, often as cabochon gems or beads, and is also carved for ornamental use.

♦Nature produces a variety known as ametrine, a combination of amethyst and citrine. This gem is purple and yellow and is frequently cut to show its division of color or in a way that mixes the colors, forming interesting russet to burgundy hues.

Care - 

♦To minimize scratching and wear, store each piece of fine jewelry separately in a soft cloth or padded container.

♦Because amethyst may fade, avoid prolonged exposure to bright light.

♦Amethyst jewelry is best cleaned with warm, sudsy water and a tightly woven microfiber or other soft cloth.

♦Take all your fine jewelry to a professional jeweler at least twice a year for a thorough cleaning and inspection.

Why Amethyst? -  While today we are not limited by tradition, the symbolism of Amethyst is treasured as a birthstone for February.

      

 

 Links: EMG Creations •