February Birthstone Amethyst

22 Feb February Birthstone Amethyst

No, not the prince song

Amethyst is February’s birthstone and the purple variety of Quartz.

It is a semi-precious gemstone used commonly in jewellery with its uses dating back to ancient Egyptians and Greeks.

Hues & Tone:

Amethyst mainly comes in hues from light pinkish violet to a deep purple with the best varieties being found in Siberia, Sri Lanka and Brazil. The most sought-after grade is “Deep Siberian” and is mainly a deep purple with undertones of blue and even red, depending on the light source.

Value:

Up until the 18^th century, amethyst was considered a cardinal gemstone – among the most valuable along side diamond, emerald, Sapphire and Ruby. However, when large deposits were found in brazil it lost most of its value and is now considered a semi-precious gemstone.

Quality Factors:

Colour is the biggest factor when looking at an Amethyst followed by cut and then carat size.

The deeper and richer colour saturation the Amethyst has the higher value it will be. Look for gems with even colour distribution, rich tones and nice flashes.

Cut is the second factor I would look for when assessing an amethyst for purchase. It is cut poorly the light and there for colour will “leak” out of the stone and it will appear “windowed” this means when moving the gemstone around at points you will be able to see clearly through. This is something to try and avoid.

Carat is the last factor that will determine cost. Carat refers to the weight or size of the gem. If the gem is bigger it will more likely have a higher price attached to it. If though it is poorly cut it might be cheaper than a smaller better cut and colour Amethyst.

Next time you’re looking to purchase an amethyst make sure to consider the points above.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading our latest post, you can find more goodness on our facebook and instagram or more posts on our blog