Magical Amethyst Properties
There are many types of Amethyst for you to explore and add to your collection. Generally Amethyst is a crystal that will help you expand your conscious awareness, but that's not all. Let's touch on the magical amethyst properties that you'll want to explore.
Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz mineral, which is known for its rich, violet to deep purple color. It was discovered thousands of years ago and was highly valued by ancient civilizations for its beauty and healing properties.
The name "amethyst" is derived from the Greek word "amethystos", which means "not drunk". It was believed that wearing amethyst would protect against drunkenness and provide a clear mind. This idea was popular in ancient Greece and Rome and is still prevalent today.
Amethyst has been used for various purposes throughout history, from decorating temples and palaces to making jewelry and other ornamental items. It is also known for its metaphysical properties, with some people believing that it has the power to bring peace, calmness, and spiritual balance to those who wear it.
What Causes the Purple Color of Amethyst?
Amethyst is a purple variety of Quartz. When the crystal is growing it gets its color from the trace amounts of iron being heated up by the earth (irradiation).
How To Tell If An Amethyst Is Real
Amethyst comes from Brazil, South Africa, Namibia, Arizona, Colorado, The Carolinas, and Canada.
Because color isn't an indicator if an Amethyst is real or not, you need to check out some other things. When trying to figure out if any crystal is real or not, you'll want to add a jewelers loop to your toolbox.
You can take your amethyst to a jeweler for an appraisal and when they confirm it is, you can use that as your standard to measure other Amethyst crystals you collect after that.
You should familiarize yourself with the different shades of purple that you will see in different Amethyst specimens. The colors will vary from light lavender to deep violet where the deeper purple color is preferred.
A real Amethyst will feel cool to the touch, you can try this by placing it to your forehead where a fake crystal won't feel cold.
Amethyst will scratch glass or a ceramic tile and leave a mark behind. Or you can try, if you're brave enough, to scratch your stone with an expensive knife with a steel blade because a real Amethyst will be resistant to having a mark made on it.
If you see bubbles, it's not real.
If it has a funny name like Desert Amethyst or something else not common, it's probably fake or trying to disguise a lower quality Amethyst crystal.
If it's perfectly free from any natural markings, wear and tear from growing over the years means it is not a real Amethyst.
Natural Amethyst tends to have other lighter and darker shades of purple, commonly blending with white quartz. A natural Amethyst isn't solid purple unless it's a jewel that's been carved to remove the other irregularities.
Lab-created Amethyst will be solid purple with no different hues, but still, feel cold to the touch.
Most dyed Amethyst is really obvious to spot especially when the dye bleeds in the white quartz matrix of a cluster.
Amethyst Colors
Amethyst is commonly known for its rich, violet to deep purple color, but it can also be found in other colors, including:
Lavender Amethyst - This variety is found in shades of light purple to lavender, often with a pale color saturation. It is commonly found in Brazil, Africa, and Uruguay.
Rose Amethyst - This variety has a pink to rose color and is found in Brazil, Mexico, and Madagascar.
Green Amethyst - This variety is rare and is colored green due to the presence of iron, titanium, or chromium in the mineral. It is found in several locations, including Africa, Madagascar, and Brazil.
Yellow Amethyst - This variety has a yellow to orange color and is found in several locations, including Africa, Madagascar, and Brazil.
Smokey Amethyst - This variety has a brown to grey color, often with a smoky hue. It is found in several locations, including Brazil, Africa, and Scotland.
Ametrine - This variety is a combination of amethyst and citrine and is colored purple and yellow or orange. It is found in Bolivia.
Each location is known for producing amethyst with unique characteristics and color variations, making it a highly sought-after gemstone in the world of gemology and mineral collecting.
Is Darker Amethyst More Valuable?
Yes, generally. Deeper purple and transparent Amethyst that is also not damaged (i.e. like chipped tips for clusters, points, and generators). The same goes for tumbles where the darker amethyst is more valuable.
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Amethyst Price
Amethyst is usually very affordable if you're looking to get a small tumbled stone (generally under $5). Brazilian Amethyst are considered the best when seeking the best color and African Amethyst tends to have the best clarity.
When it comes to the price of Amethyst the finest quality will have a vivid purple color, but not black more deep grape purple color, with no other tints in the overall color.
Then when also have a transparent Amethyst, free from imperfections and minimal imperfections also means that it is a better quality of Amethyst.
Types of Amethyst
Amethyst - OG regular Amethyst that is purple.
Ametrine - Amethyst and Citrine (also a part of the Quartz family)
Brandberg Amethyst - Amethyst, Clear Quartz and Smoky Quartz combined.
Cacoxenite Amethyst - Sometimes sold as "Super Seven" or "Melody's Stone" or simply "Cacoxenite" where the stone contains Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Smoky Quartz, Cacoxenite, Goethite Lepidocrocite and Rutile. Some say it's powerful and others say that this has been branded to increase the value of lower grade quartz.
Cactus Quartz/ Spirit Crystal - This is a larger crystal with a bunch of tiny druzy crystals covering a larger quartz point.
Canadian Amethyst - Amethyst from Canada with Hematite inside found in, surprisingly, Canada.
Chevron Amethyst - V-Shape Chevrons that are a mix of Amethyst and White Quartz.
Lavender Amethyst - Pale variety of Amethyst.
Prasiolite/ Green Amethyst - This yellow-green quartz is not natural, but created by heating up natural Amethyst in an oven.
Rutilated Amethyst - Very rare where strands of Goethite are found inside.
Veracruz Amethyst - Amethyst from Vera Cruz, Mexico.
Amethyst History + Myths
Amethyst Cactus/Spirit Quartz via KellyBelleCrystals on Etsy
Amethyst can be confused for certain varieties of Purple Fluorite, Purple Apatite and Purple Spinel. Fluorite and Apatite are much softer than Amethyst while Spinel is harder than Amethyst.
Ancient Greeks named this crystal "Amethystos" which means "not drunk." Meaning you can drink all night and never suffer a hangover as long as you had some Amethyst on you (or in your mouth?!).
And it's been said that by rubbing a moistened Amethyst on your pimples is supposed to cure acne. I don't know about that one.
Then there's the story of this beautiful maiden was heading to a temple to worship and unfortunately for her encountered the god of wine, Bacchus who was pissed for some reason. When he saw this woman, he had his beasts turn her into a clear stone.
But Bacchus had some remorse, poured wine over the clear stone that was formerly that maiden and stained the crystal purple and named this maiden who is now a crystal "Amethyst".
Amethyst has also been associated with early Christians symbolizing purity of spirit. Other religions also found this stone to represent peace and allows you to get in sync with the Divine.
Amethyst Healing Properties + Benefits
Amethyst properties and healing include:
Associated with Third Eye Chakra and the Crown Chakra
Helping you to stop the endless thoughts you experience before you go to sleep
Helpful in breaking addictions including substance abuse, social media, smoking, negative self-talk, workaholism, shopping, etc.
Helpful to tap into your intuition and calming your mind during meditation
Teaches humility in that you surrender your ego to be able to listen to wisdom from the Divine
Helps during the grieving process
Good for calming mental chatter that can lead to headaches
How To Use Amethyst Personally + In The Home
You can place a stone on your third eye or above your crown chakra to hone your intuition.
Place under your bed for a good night's rest
Wear as a necklace to prevent a psychic attack
Place in your home office to calm work stress
Place anywhere you want to transform negative vibrations to positive vibrations
Place in the South area of your home for building your reputation and or fame
Place in Southeast corner of your home for balance and spiritual growth
Place in the Northeast corner of your home for wisdom
Place anywhere to bring change in your life
The magical properties and healing benefits of Amethyst are many. You'll find that this affordable and common crystal is one that you'll probably collect tons of.
Amethyst is such a sweet crystal that you'll find it has many beneficial uses and will become one of your all time favorite stones to have on hand for multiple uses.