Amethyst is a semi-precious variety of quartz. The stone is indeed very beautiful, it is possible to find large specimens. In addition to the stones themselves, gemologists are also attracted by their configuration in the ground, so sometimes amethysts are cut out as whole druses of bizarre shapes up to 50 centimeters in size. How amethyst is mined and where it can be purchased are questions that interest fans and collectors of this mineral.

The stone is a full-fledged crystal, so it has been growing in the ground for centuries. For its formation, not only the SiO2 substance in the soil is necessary, but also special temperature conditions. You also need to maintain a certain pressure. As the crystal grows, impurities of manganese and other substances enter it, which form a purple tint.

Amethyst mining

Amethyst can be found near volcanic rocks, for example, as part of rock crystal, and sometimes specimens are found in sedimentary rocks. The durability of its color will depend on where the amethyst was mined: if it is among volcanic rocks, such a stone is more protected from high temperatures and ultraviolet radiation.

When the stone is heated, it becomes either yellow or colorless. This is how citrine is obtained. But with uncontrolled overheating, the crystal becomes very fragile and can crumble in your hands.

Methods for extracting stone

Stone mining is carried out both at the amateur and industrial level. To do this as a hobby does not require any special skill or training. Amethyst mining happens:

• Using underground quarries or workings. The rock is raised to the surface by people or machines. This type of deposit is called geodes. These are large cavities in which the walls are chalcedony, and the insides contain amethyst. The shape of the deposits is called drusen, which means the accretion of thousands of small crystals. The method is the most expensive from a material point of view, since equipment is needed to lift drusen from geodes to the surface. The sizes can be quite large, druses are sawed and citrine is found. Sometimes such finds are used unchanged for interior decoration. But due to the financial costs, this method is used less often than others.
• Normal collection of stones from the ground. This is how stones were mined a hundred years ago. But minerals do not always lie free on the ground. Most often, amethyst has to be chipped from rocks or stones using a pickaxe, hammer or other tool, sometimes by blasting the rock. This method is the most cost-effective, since it is quite easy to notice the stone. The main thing is to look for amethysts near deposits. The shape of such stones will be less beautiful than that of geodes, but if the material is processed and cut, then the extraction method does not matter.
• Extraction of material from placers. There are especially many placers on the shores of the White Sea. There is a high probability of finding amethyst near the surf or in the crevices of coastal rocks. Sometimes you can just pick it up, but it's best to carry a pickaxe or hammer with you.
• Artificial extraction, produced in a laboratory. The idea is to quickly grow quartz crystals. They are more durable in color and can be given any shade during the procedure. Such crystals have no defects, and their cost is much lower than natural specimens.

Amethyst druse, amethyst brush

Where are amethysts found?

Most semi-precious amethysts are mined in countries such as:

1. Uruguay.
2. Brazil.
3. Russia (Ural).
4. Mexico.
5. Namibia.

But if you want to not only find out where amethyst is mined, but also extract the stone yourself, it is best to go to Finland. There is a famous mine called "Lampivaara" in the city of Luosto in Lapland. This is the only operating mine in Europe with a centuries-old history and manual extraction of stone. Each tourist can find his own copy and even take it with him. Such deposits, which are open to tourists, can be found in the USA. There, the stone mined by tourists will be immediately processed and can even be inserted into some product of the client’s choice.

Different deposits had different conditions for the formation of stone. Therefore, amethysts will also differ from each other. At a minimum, gemologists identify several shades, which determine the cost of the stone.

The most expensive shade is considered Deep Siberian (deep Siberian), which is mined in large quantities in Russia. It amazes with its brightness and saturation. And the most popular and frequently used color in sales is the “Rose of France” color. It is forbidden to heat the stones; it is better to store them away from sunlight and not wear them in the summer. When buying an amethyst, do not forget to inquire about the documents of the stone, its origin and authenticity.

Mining amethyst is not a difficult matter from a mineralogy point of view. The popularity of the stone is still great; you don’t even have to process the found mineral, but simply use sections. The stones are truly diverse, so mining will remain profitable for a long time.

Shining amethyst crystals enchant with their beauty. The stone is a hexagon with a pyramidal top. To form it in the soil, you need the substance SiO 2, a certain temperature and pressure. This is a type of quartz that acquires a purple hue due to impurities of manganese and other substances. The transparent mineral is a semi-precious collectible stone, while the opaque one is used as an ornamental material.

A little history

In the Middle Ages, the stone was used in European and Eastern countries to decorate the clothes of clergy. When a cardinal was ordained, he was given a ring with this mineral. In Rome, China and Ancient Greece, trinkets were made from amethyst: gems, boxes.

In Tsarist Russia, the stone was valued for its beautiful color and transparency. Noble people emphasized their high position with products made of purple quartz. In Ancient Greece they believed that the gem could cure addiction to alcohol. The Greeks inlaid cups with it, wore jewelry from it when they went to festivals, and the Italians put it in glasses of wine.

From ancient Greek, the word “amethyst” is translated as “to be drunk.” There is another version according to which a nymph named Amethys chose to turn into stone so as not to become a victim of the god of wine Bacchus.

Characteristics and varieties

Amethyst is composed of silicon dioxide and iron. The crystals contain tunnels with liquid or gas, inclusions of the brown mineral goethite and gray hematite. Quartz has violet-red, blue-purple and violet colors. It is transparent with a pearlescent or glassy sheen. The density of the stone is within 2.65, and the hardness is 7. The mineral may slightly change its shade if it is exposed to bright light for a long time.

Jewelry amethyst comes in two varieties:

• Rich Siberian.
• Rose of France.

The first grade is the rarest and most expensive. It has a deep purple color with red and blue flecks. The second option is more common. It has a soft lilac hue with pink highlights.

Chemical composition of the mineral

Unlike other quartzes, the chemical composition of amethyst contains a large amount of iron. The intensity of the color depends on this element. Today, the exact content of aluminum and alkali is not known, and there is no information about the refractive index. The physical constants of the crystal are approximately the same as those of colorless quartz, but amethyst has a higher refractive index.

The density of quartz constantly fluctuates. Scientists conducted many spectral analyzes of the stone. The results showed that it contains several main impurities: Cu, Ti, Mn, Cr, Mg, Ca, Li, Al, Fe.

Kinds

Today, several varieties of amethyst are known with a certain shade intensity. Brandberg is mined in Africa - a combination of smoky quartz and amethyst crystals. Sometimes frozen insects are found in it.

The bright purple stone is a chevron. It contains light layers of quartz and is mined in Mexico. Ametrine combines golden, lilac and blue colors as it is composed of citrine and amethyst.

A popular amethyst crystal is lavender. It changes color when exposed to sunlight for a long time and is often used in jewelry making. Green proselyte minerals, pale pink and black stones are also found in nature. The latter option is very rare and has been created by nature over millions of years. Jewelers emphasize the beauty of black amethyst with an unusual cut.

Methods for extracting stone

Amethyst is mined on an industrial and amateur scale. In the second case, no special training or skills are required, so stone mining can become a hobby.

Mineral extraction methods:

• Extraction of crystals from placers. The stone deposits are located on the shores of the White Sea. Amethyst can be found in coastal rocks and surf.
• using workings and underground quarries. Quartz is extracted to the surface of the earth using special equipment. The method is rarely used because it requires large financial investments.
• collecting amethysts from the ground. Crystals were mined this way many years ago, but today they are rarely freely available. They are chipped from the rocks with a pickaxe, or the rock is blasted. The shape of the quartz will not be ideal, so the material will have to be processed.
• artificial cultivation of stone in the laboratory.

Where can you find the mineral

Until the 18th century, amethysts were mined from placers on the island of Ceylon, known today as the island of Sri Lanka. In the first half of the 18th century, stone deposits were discovered in Germany. Today, semi-precious crystals are mined in Namibia, Mexico, the USA, and Brazil. An amethyst weighing 2.5 tons and 3 meters high was mined in Uruguay.

Many stones are found in the Kandalaksha Bay, in Armenia, Eastern Siberia, Azerbaijan, near the Omolon median massif. Violet and pale lilac stones are mined here. They are used to make jewelry, souvenirs and fakes.

In the Russian Federation, quartz mining is carried out in the Middle and Polar Urals. We have many amethyst deposits, but today domestic crystals can rarely be found on the world market.

The deposits are abandoned and practically not developed.

Druze and geodes

Amethyst druses are numerous crystals that grow on one substrate. They are similar to quartz, but differ in violet and bluish tints. From German, “druze” is translated as “brush”, because the stones are very similar in shape to it.

Identical druses are rarely found in nature, so they are highly valued and used in jewelry making.

Amethyst geodes form in the ground. There may be emptiness or crystals inside them, the sizes of which range from a couple of millimeters to a meter. Today, geodes with crystalline druses inside are often mined. A small hole is made in the quartz shell and illuminated with a flashlight. If the mineral is promising, it is processed manually. Amethyst geodes do not require additional polishing because they have their own luster.

Artificially grown amethyst

Modern technologies make it possible to artificially grow stone in the laboratory. For this, hydrothermal conditions and a method of temperature drop on seeds made of synthetic quartz parallel to the faces of the pinacoid are used. Manganese nitrate and iron dioxide are added to the mixture of starting materials.

The stone is given a rich color using ionizing radiation. To increase the color intensity of an artificial crystal, a mixture of silicon-containing materials is used. In addition to the impurities of manganese, lithium and iron, cobalt is added. The rest of the technology remains the same. Improvements can increase the color intensity index by 0.1.

Externally, a natural mineral is difficult to distinguish from an artificially grown one. The physical properties of the stone will help. You need to put it in a glass of water and look at the edges. If they are clearly visible, then the gem is artificial. The facets of natural amethyst will lose color and will be barely visible.

You can spot a fake using a magnifying glass. You need to look through it at the mineral. Natural amethyst will show slight imperfections and unevenly distributed shade. The artificial mineral is of ideal quality.

Natural amethyst is harder than steel, so you can determine its naturalness using a knife. If you run the tip over the surface of the mineral, it will remain unharmed. The fake stone will have a scratch on it.

Stone care

The mineral needs regular care. It should be washed in warm water and soap and wiped with a soft cloth. Hard sponges and brushes are recommended to be used in extreme cases to avoid damaging the quartz. If the dirt is very strong, you can clean it with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Under no circumstances should you use chemicals, otherwise irreparable damage will be caused to the stone.

It is best to take the amethyst to a jewelry workshop. There, specialists will clean it using ultrasound, which will return the mineral to its original state and will not damage it. Amethyst is durable and hard, but other stones can scratch it. Therefore, it is better not to store the mineral in a jewelry box and always wrap it in soft cloth.

How much does it cost and what stone can it be confused with?

The cost of amethyst constantly fluctuates. Today, a 3-carat mineral measuring 15x30 can be purchased for an average of 3 thousand rubles. A 14-carat amethyst sells for about 3.5 thousand rubles, and a 51-carat amethyst sells for 6.5 thousand rubles. The price of a stone is affected by material defects.

Quartz mined from volcanic rocks is worth more because it does not change color when exposed to direct sunlight. The price also depends on the color of the stone. The richer it is, the more expensive it is. Another criterion is clarity. High-quality quartz is transparent and free of inclusions. Low prices for amethyst are due to the large volume of synthetic stones that have appeared on the market. They are practically no different from natural stones.

Amethyst- one of the most beautiful and valuable varieties of quartz. Its color can vary from pale purple to dark purple. Amethyst crystals can be either completely transparent or practically not translucent in the sun. It belongs to the macrocrystalline varieties of quartz and owes its violet-purple color to admixtures of iron and aluminum.

See also:

STRUCTURE

Amethyst consists of silicon dioxide SiO 2 with iron impurities. Crystal structure: trigonal, hexagonal prism. Three segments of axes of equal length intersect in one plane at an angle of 60°, the third axis is perpendicular to this plane, and the segment cut off on it has a different length. In the hexagonal system, three unit cells form a regular prism on a hexagonal base.

PROPERTIES

Mohs hardness - 7. Density about 2.65 g/cm 3 . Refractive index: 1.544 - 1.553. It can be transparent or semi-transparent. The color of amethyst is very varied in shades and varies from almost colorless pale purple, pink-bluish-violet, bluish-violet to purple, dark purple, to lavender blue, sometimes to almost black. Violet-smoky zone-colored amethysts are also found. The distribution of color is usually uneven; zoning of color is characteristic, sometimes pronounced: intensely colored zones are parallel to the faces of rhombohedrons or are distributed in spots along growth pyramids in the crystal.

The color of amethyst can be very rich and depends on the iron impurities in the mineral. The stone can lose color under the influence of high temperatures: at 200 ° C, amethyst turns very pale, but can return color when cooled; at 300–500 °C amethyst becomes colorless irrevocably (Only directed ionization can help); and at temperatures from 500 to 600 °C, amethyst acquires a bright yellow color and turns into citrine.

The color stability of amethysts from different deposits varies; Thus, amethyst crystals from crystal veins are usually resistant to even direct sunlight, while amethysts found in geodes among sedimentary rocks usually fade quickly when exposed to even diffuse sunlight.

MORPHOLOGY

Amethyst usually grows on a gray opaque quartz substrate. Common in drusen and crystalline brushes within agate geodes and in tonsils and fissures in volcanic rocks. Unlike simple quartz, the prismatic facets on amethyst crystals are usually weakly manifested; the facets of its crystals are dominated by rhombohedron faces. In addition to the simple forms of crystals inherent in quartz, amethyst often appears in the form of skeletal sceptre-shaped forms, when the subsequent generation of the mineral grows on the previous one at the end of an early generation crystal in the form of a short pyramidal-prismatic formation resembling a mace or scepter.

Sometimes an amethyst contains thin crystalline plates of hematite or needle-shaped crystals of goethite and is then called “hairy”. Common for amethyst crystals, especially large ones, are liquid and gas-liquid inclusions; often they have the form of very thin tubular tubes with constrictions and are located along radii from the center of growth. A natural mixture of amethyst and citrine is called ametrine.

ORIGIN

Amethyst was born in the depths of the earth under high pressure and exposure to water. Formed in hydrothermal veins and in lava amygdalae. Deposits are often found in volcanic rock and growths on rock crystal. High-quality amethysts are mined in the Urals, Uruguay and Brazil. Another unique deposit has been developed on the Kola Peninsula, famous for amethyst brushes with a fairly even dark purple color. And yet, the most expensive amethysts in the world are mined in Mexico, the Jaerrero deposit. These are dark purple prismatic crystals surrounded by clear or white quartz, growing straight from the center. There are also deposits of the mineral in the USA, Canada, Uruguay, Italy and Germany.

APPLICATION

A valuable semi-precious stone, widely used in jewelry and as a material for artistic carving. Beautifully colored violet-red and violet specimens are highly prized and are used in high-end jewelry in conjunction with diamonds and emeralds. During processing, the amethyst is given a diamond, step, fancy cut, and cabochonized. Beautiful natural specimens are popular among collectors.

Most often in Rus', amethyst was used to decorate religious paraphernalia (icons, books, crosses, etc.). Both crowns and expensive dresses were decorated with this stone. The amethyst stone became most widespread as a decoration for the insignia of monarchs and priests. Today, the most common use of amethyst is as amulets. The amulets themselves can have completely different shapes and appear before you, either in the form of a ring or pendant, or in the form of a figurine or rosary.

Amethyst - SiO 2

CLASSIFICATION

Amethyst belongs to the quartz family. In nature, this stone most often has a lilac color - from the palest shade to a very rich and dark, almost black. The stone fades when exposed to sunlight, but amethysts of volcanic origin have a more stable color. The deposits of this gem are quite rich, there are still many natural deposits, so the cost of amethysts is not too high.
The meaning of the name from Greek is “not drunk.” It is believed that amethyst crystals can protect a person from drunkenness and other excesses, and the stones save people who have already drunk from intoxication. The mineral seems to absorb wine vapors, while its color itself is similar to grape juice and wine.

Very rich deposits of stone are found in Brazil, Brazilian stones are among the most popular in the world. Ural gems are famous for their rich color. There are deposits in Uruguay and the United States, Namibia. The stone is mined in slightly smaller quantities in India, Burma and Madagascar.

Where is it used?

The importance of the stone can hardly be overestimated - it is one of the most valuable varieties of quartz. This mineral has a very beautiful color, amethyst crystals have a perfect shape and grow in the form of geodes (sometimes simply huge) and small clusters. The stone is sometimes found in glassy masses, and after proper processing and polishing it turns into jewelry. The stone owes its unusual lilac color to impurities of iron and manganese. The more of these minerals in the composition, the richer the color. In this case, the shade can vary from cold bluish to reddish.
The mineral, which natural deposits are so rich in, is found in both transparent and opaque forms. Transparent crystals are especially prized by jewelers; they are not very common and are ideal for cutting. Opaque stones are often polished and used to make beads. Some examples, polished or drusy, are of greater value to collectors.

Amethyst is valued primarily for its beauty and unusual, almost never found in nature, purple color with red and pink reflections. This circumstance could not be ignored in ancient times, therefore many legends are associated with it; it is used in magic and lithotherapy. Even among the Sumerians, thousands of years ago, it was considered sacred.

Among the Greeks and Romans, the stories about the origin of the stone are similar and are associated with the god of winemaking, who attacked a defenseless nymph who rejected the claims of a drunken and disliked deity, although the details of these stories differ.

Greek myth

The beautiful Amethys was in love with one shepherdess, Sprikos, and therefore did not notice the signs of attention from others, including immortal men. Dionysus also fell victim to her beauty. Fortified by wine, which gave him courage and made the nymph even more beautiful, he began to pursue her as she walked to the temple of Artemis.

Ametis did not appreciate the courtship and cruelly ridiculed Dionysus, insulting the immortal with her words and coldness. Stung, he decided to gain favor at any cost. Dionysus rushed after the nymph, wanting to dishonor her.

The plan failed as Artemis turned the nymph into a stone column. This did not stop Dionysus; he decided to revive her with wine, but it only colored the stone. Zeus, seeing all this, destroyed the column, scattering the fragments throughout the world.

Roman myth

Bacchus was very unhappy that people did not worship him much, so he decided to attract attention by unleashing angry tigers on people. Not only people, but also a nymph named Amethys were horrified. She turned into a terror, which put the tigers to flight.

Bacchus repented of what he had done and tried to revive it by sprinkling wine on the statue, but the crystal only became colored and the wine turned into water.

Jews and Christians

Fleeing from Egypt, the Jews, along with other cultural heritage, took amethysts, revered by the Egyptian nobility, which adorned the crowns of the kings. The stone is mentioned under the name akhlamog in the Torah. Among other gems, it adorned the breastplate of the Jewish high priest.

From the Torah the stone passed into the Bible. The word was distorted and began to sound amethyst. It became a revered biblical stone.

physical and chemical indicators

At its core, amethyst is quartz with liquid, gaseous and mineral impurities of magnetite, rutile, which was formed in geodes and veins and was subjected to prolonged exposure to the earth’s electromagnetic field and radiation. Due to this, deviations arose in the ideal crystal lattice, and iron ions of different valences replaced the voids, which is why the mineral has such a color.

When exposed to sunlight, it loses color, becoming cloudy white. The color is returned to it by radiation. When heated to 300 degrees, it discolors in the same way as from sunlight, becoming green. This mineral received its own name -.

Amethyst crystals have a diamond-shaped cross-section, which is characteristic only of this mineral. The remaining types form crystals with a hexagonal cross-section. In the natural environment, you can come across both simple stones collected in a brush and scepter-shaped stones. This is an accumulation of later amethyst formations on earlier ones. The form of education resembles. The apex is colored more intensely, and the base is often simply discolored.

The properties of amethyst are described in the table:

It is inferior in hardness and is less common, therefore it is not used in industry. The unusualness of the purple color and the beauty of the stone in faceted form and in the form of brushes were appreciated by jewelers and designers.

Products and prices

Now amethysts are mined all over the world: in the Urals, on the Kola Peninsula, on the island of Ceylon, in America, Brazil, Germany, Armenia. But stones from different deposits have different prices.

Brazilian and Ural gems are especially valued for their rich, bright purple color. The first jewelry found in Russia dates back to the 11th century. The most remarkable Russian museum treasures with amethysts are kept in the Armory Chamber. This is the binding of the Morozov Gospel and the Pantocrator icon.

Amethyst is used to create rings, bracelets, pendants, earrings, brooches, beads, tiaras, necklaces, set in silver, yellow, red and white gold. It is often used together with other stones: citrines, topaz,. Amethyst lends itself well to cutting; small boxes, bottles, cameos are cut from it.

In their raw form, amethyst brushes and geodes are also beautiful. Designers use them as part of the interior.

Regular jewelry is relatively inexpensive due to the large number of artificial amethysts on the market. Only natural stones of bright colors are of great value.

Since the mineral belongs to the Bible, it is revered by the clergy. It decorates church utensils and icon frames. Priests wear it on crosses, robes and in rings.

Among the laity, amethyst is the stone of homosexuals thanks to the autobiographical writings of Oscar Wilde. As a distinctive sign, knowledgeable people still wear it today.

Medicinal properties

Since ancient times, amethyst has been credited with the power to relieve intoxication. It helps not only to stay sober for a long time during libations, but also clears the mind of an already intoxicated person, and eases the hangover the next morning.

The wide healing properties of amethyst and its use in alternative medicine are getting rid of addictions: and drug addiction. Wearing a stone amulet cannot replace drug treatment and self-improvement, but it will speed up and facilitate the process.

1. Strengthens vision.
2. Treats kidney diseases.
3. Relieves nightmares.
4. This talisman, placed on the stomach, cures headaches as well as melancholy.
5. Helps fight hunger during a diet, which improves weight loss results and makes dieting easier.
6. Relieves psychological stress.
7. Helps relieve tension and stress during any mental stress.
8. Slows down the process of weakening vision.
9. Treats infertility, helps to bear a healthy child.
10. During epidemics, the talisman protects against infections due to the antiseptic effect of the mineral. This feature was used in ancient China. Amethyst was used to make boxes and bottles for storing potions so that they would not spoil or absorb bad energy.
11. Treats sexual disorders.
12. Saves memory.

Amethyst water can be used as a medicine to relieve colds. To do this, place an amethyst stone in a carafe of water and let it sit overnight. For additional energy, you need to place the water so that the full moon is reflected in it. You can wash your face with this water to remove acne.

To get rid of sadness or depression, ancient practice recommends taking a lilac crystal, holding it in your hands and looking at it for a long time to establish a spiritual connection. Then imagine the sea at sunset. Mentally place the sun in a crystal and admire its rays. This calms thoughts, puts them in order, and clears them of anger and negativity. After the session is completed, the amulet is thanked for its help.

Magic properties

In ancient Rome, amethyst was revered as a “blessed stone.” It was believed that it has magical properties that bring good luck, peace and tranquility. Modern mystics claim that precious stones contain two levels of energy: the first is contained within the stone, the energy is in constant motion, capable of accumulating in it and remaining for a long time. The second level is external energy, the mineral receives it from the environment and, if necessary, gives back its own. The stones are so valued by esotericists, this is also responsible for their magical properties. A person successfully integrates into this energy exchange.

It is customary to highlight the following magical properties of the stone:

1. Frees its owner from hypochondria and bad thoughts.
2. Reveals intuition and extrasensory abilities.
3. Helps resolve conflict situations without loss.
4. Brings happiness.
5. Protects from witchcraft.
6. Removes melancholy, heals mental wounds.
7. Protects from bad dishonest actions.
8. Helps its owner in love, protects against betrayal.
9. An amethyst amulet will protect the family union from discord and quarrels.

Amethyst, February Aquarius, Capricorn and Aries. they receive subtle intuition from amethyst, and the zodiac sign Aquarius receives peace and financial success. Amethyst will help people of the zodiac sign in difficult periods of life, when everything falls apart and does not go as planned. and Libra can wear amethyst to relieve depression.

Previously, amethyst was worn by sailors to predict the weather. If it got dark, then it would be stormy; if it got lighter, then the weather would be clear.

Druses and geodes have greater magical properties than individual stones. They combine several small crystals, which increases the effect of the amulet. These types are suitable for meditation, so get peace of mind, cool your thoughts and feelings. To do this, just stare at the amethyst for a few minutes, clearing your head of thoughts.

Varieties

There are different colors: light, with a barely noticeable purple tint, bluish, purple, black. Unevenly colored crystals are common. The division is made according to color and inclusions of other minerals. The properties of the stone depend on the type of crystal.

1. Brandberg is a mixture of amethyst and smoky quartz, and insects are often found in it. It is mined in Africa. He is valued for his healing abilities.
2. Chevron is fused layers of bright purple amethyst and white quartz to create complex patterns. It is found in Mexico.
3. - a combination of amethyst and, which gives a lilac hue with an admixture of gold. This is a stone of inspiration that pushes its owner to new achievements.
4. Rutile amethyst is a rare stone containing rutile quartz and goethite. A very rare specimen with its own properties - to normalize the nervous state, as well as.

How to spot a fake

Unscrupulous sellers may pass off glass, cheaper colored stones, or plastic as an amethyst stone. Rules for identifying a fake:

1. It is harder than steel; if you scratch it with a knife, it will not damage the mineral.
2. The amethyst will leave marks on the glass, but will remain unharmed.
3. Bright crystals are rare in nature, so if a piece of jewelry is inexpensive, but the stone has a rich color, you should doubt its naturalness.
4. The mineral does not conduct heat well, so when touched it remains cold for some time. Glass or plastic immediately heats up.

In addition to natural amethyst, artificially grown crystals are used in jewelry. It is difficult to distinguish them from natural ones. Some rules:

1. Artificial stones have purer and more intense colors. Natural ones are paler, with uneven coloring.
2. If you look closely, the natural mineral will not be perfectly transparent. It will contain microcracks and inclusions of liquid and gas bubbles.
3. In water, a real stone becomes discolored at the edges of the edges; this does not happen with an artificial one.
4. In ultraviolet rays, a real amethyst stone becomes completely discolored, while an artificial one becomes stained.
5. Depending on the lighting, the natural amethyst stone changes color.

When evaluating, you can focus on price. A good amethyst cannot be cheap, but scammers know this rule, so you can find an expensive fake. The best way to protect yourself from counterfeiting is to buy jewelry from trusted stores that value their reputation.

Rules of care

The main property of amethyst is the ability to discolor from prolonged exposure to the sun. In order for the stone to last longer while maintaining its original color, you must follow some rules:

1. Store in a dark place, away from other jewelry.
2. Don't wear it all the time. Exposure to light, water, and detergents will make the mineral colorless and cloudy.
3. Figurines and geodes should be placed in a dark place in the apartment, away from sunlight.
4. The stone is not heated, which causes it to change color.
5. Jewelry must be cleaned with a special solution, which is sold in a jewelry store. Popular home remedies such as vinegar or toothpaste will ruin the stone and setting.
6. Tarnished stones can be restored by contacting a jeweler.

Amethyst is famous for its properties and beauty. It will heal from sadness, melancholy, fatigue, help develop intuition and open the “third eye”, giving the gift of foresight. This is the stone of kings, covered in legends, which everyone can afford.