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Amethyst Jewellery:
The Historical Overview
Amethyst is the birthstone for people born in February. It is transparent quartz that is usually sought after for its healing properties and deep yet beautiful purple colour. The word amethyst came from the Greek word “amethystos” which means “not drunken”. Amethyst jewellery is popular during the time of great monarchial rule. Today, its popularity is starting to rise due to unique craftsmanship and affordable price. They come in chic, antique and even modern jewellery styles and designs.
History of Amethyst Jewellery
Purple has always been the colour of royalty and amethyst jewellery has caught the eye of well-known monarchs such as Catherine the Great of Russia. She was so enamoured with the beauty of amethyst jewelry that she dispatched thousands of miners to Siberia to seek out amethyst in the Urals. For a long time, the finest amethyst came from Siberia until the supply waned and other precious gemstones such as amethyst were found in Uruguay and Brazil.
The amethyst stone has been one of the most coveted gemstones of royals in Minoan Greece in 2,500 B.C. During the 1400’s, a famous brooch was created that caught the eye of members of the royal families.
Due to its royal purple shade, the amethysts have been widely used with gold jewellery for many years. Historical facts have documented that monarchs and monasteries alike use amethyst jewellery. Amethyst jewelry is preferably used in the form of rings, pendants and necklaces during early Egyptian to Victorian times. It was one of the most important ornamentation in the Middle Ages and most high-tanked members of the catholic church wore amethysts rings. According to legend, women in Rome wore Amethyst jewelry to keep their husband’s attention. They are considerably favoured by British royalty as evidenced of the use of amethysts in the Crown jewels.
Amethyst can make attractive necklaces, rings, ear studs, pendants, and bracelets. This type of stone is usually set in silver and gold jewellery. It can be combined with other precious stones such as zircons, Swarovski crystals and pearls. The amethyst stone is fairly durable thus they can be worn regularly.
Combining amethyst and diamond makes a truly breathtaking jewellery. It can be a large diamond stud set with tiny purple amethysts or a large amethyst handcrafted with a delicate gold pattern. Amethyst jewellery can surely fascinate you and they come in different styles and designs that will leave your mouth watering.
The Amethyst Stone
The amethyst stone come in different shade of purple from pale lilac to black purple and deep mauve. The paler shades of amethyst are referred to as Rose de France while the darker shades of amethysts are called Siberian. The best way to test genuine amethyst is exposing it to heat. When exposed to heat, amethyst turns yellow. Darker shades of amethysts are more expensive but they are still relatively cheaper compared to other precious stones due to their bountiful availability.
The amethyst stone is said to represent seriousness and sobriety. The stone if believed to inspire fairness, sincerity, devotions, duty and justice. Amethysts is said to possess healing properties that soothe the mind, purify the blood and balance the spirit.
Caring for Amethyst Jewellery
Amethyst can be worn regularly but it would still lose its brilliance due to a layer of dirt and oil. Thus, it is very important to clean amethyst jewelry with care to protect its luster. With warm water and soap and a soft brush, you can safely clean your amethyst jewelry. You can use a soft cloth wipe in cleaning your amethyst jewelry. To protect your amethyst jewelry, don’t wear your amethyst jewelry while swimming, exercising or doing household work.
Amethyst jewellery can be purchased at your local jewellery stores. They come in various designs and styles that would suit your taste and needs. Due to the abundance and availability of the amethyst stone, amethyst jewellery are fairly affordable compared to other jewellery.