Discover the Beauty of Amethyst
The amethyst gemstone is one of rare beauty. Technically it is a purple variety of the quartz stone, as it is the impurities in the quartz stone that give the purple appearance of the amethyst. The amethyst actually comes in a variety of shades ranging from a pinkest violet color to a very deep purple color.
For centuries, many past civilizations have seen the beauty of the amethyst gemstone. The ancient Egyptians saw the beauty and often used this gemstone to create engravings and medallions. The Greeks also saw the beauty in the amethyst gemstone, which is actually where the name is derived from.
The Greeks view the amethyst as beautiful because of the story from which the name of the gemstone was derived. According to the story, the god of wine, Dionysus, proceeded to get drunk and in his drunken madness saw the fair Amethyst who he wanted for himself. In an effort to save her, the goddess Artemis turned her into a beautiful white stone. Bacchus realized what he had done and out of sorrow poured his wine over Amethyst and turned the beautiful white stone into a beautiful purple stone.
Royalty Stone
Another reason that has associated the amethyst with beauty is the color itself. In many cultures, the royal color is purple, which means that many royal people have had their jewelry accessories made with plenty of purple amethyst stones. As most people know, the jewelry that royalty wears is often extravagant and over the top and this beauty catches the eye of the onlookers, only adding to the lore.
The amethyst gemstone is actually beautiful for more than just its looks. Throughout its history, many cultures have associated special powers with this rare gemstone. Some people believe it has a skin caring type of energy to it while others believed benefits include its purification and detoxification properties, anti-bacteria and sterilization properties, and even mental and physical healing properties. It is beauty both on the inside and on the out.
What makes this gemstone so popular is that the stone is gorgeous both by itself as well as when it is accompanied with other gemstones. Unlike other stones, like the black diamond, the amethyst does not need any help to stand out. It can be set in a ring, earring, or a necklace all on its own, but there are some things to look for when selecting the right gemstone for any of these settings.
Get the Highest Quality Stones
When shopping for amethyst gemstones for a ring, necklace, or other type of jewelry, a person needs to pay attention to the quality. There is more to purchasing this beautiful stone than just looking for a pretty purple color. For one thing, it has to be the right shade of purple as the most valuable shades for amethyst are a medium dark color. Some experts say there needs to be an 80% purple hue for the highest value because the richer the color purple the more beautiful it is and also more valuable it is.
The next thing to do is to determine the grade of the amethyst. For the most part, this gemstone is divided up into three main category grades: Siberian, Uruguayan or Bahain grade categories. The Siberian grade is the highest grade of amethyst while the Bahain grade would be the lowest grade for this gemstone.
Next is clarity of the amethyst gemstone. Mostly, this gemstone can be examined with the naked eye. All a person has to do is shine the light through the gemstone and look for any obvious inclusions or imperfections inside the gemstone. If possible, a person should try to look at the amethyst gemstone with natural lighting because the true beauty of the gemstone is not clearly revealed in artificial lighting, which is what most jewelry stores have. Some jewelers may be hesitant to allow the jewelry outside of the store, but this is really the only way to see the true beauty of the gemstone. If the gemstone is pure without any noticeable imperfections, then this will of course mean that it is of the highest quality.
Finally, there is the cut of the amethyst gemstone. A good jeweler will be able to make precise cuts without leaving any bad edges. They will also be able to polish the gemstone to perfection, so that is glistens in the light. The gemstone is a beauty in itself, so there is not much that has to be done to it so long as the cuts are precise.
Only Buy the Real Thing
One thing to watch out for when purchasing amethyst jewelry is synthetics. This is an ever increasing problem that many people run into. Now most established and well known jewelers would never run the risk of selling synthetics without clearly labeling the gemstone as such. It is the lesser known sellers and jewelry stores that often try to slip a synthetic past a customer.
The synthetic gemstones actually look just like the real thing. The main difference is that they were made in a laboratory and not under natural conditions. They are also much cheaper than the real thing so many people do try to pass it off as the real thing while charging the same price for it.
To avoid getting duped by a synthetic, a person can first make sure that they shop from a reputable seller or jeweler. They can also ask for the certification of the amethyst gemstone. If the jeweler cannot readily produce the certificate, then chances are there is something wrong and further investigation is needed.
The best thing about the amethyst gemstones is that they are not nearly as expensive as some of the other types of gemstones and are easily one of the most beautiful of the gemstones people can purchase. That means that a person can design and purchase this kind of jewelry as an accompaniment to their outfit without the burden of having to spend an exorbitant amount of money on the jewelry. It is inexpensive and beautiful!
