Amethyst
Hardness 7 specific gravity 2.2.65
Refractive index 1.54-1.56 birefringence 0.009
Wear: good durability
Amethyst is a kind of quartz. Its main component is silicon dioxide. Because it contains a small amount of iron, Amethyst presents a beautiful purple color. It is the most popular variety of quartz.
Amethyst is the birthstone of February.
The history of human understanding of amethyst
The name "Amethyst" comes from the ancient Greek word "am é thystos", which means a gem that can protect the wearer from getting drunk. Therefore, ancient Greeks often wear Amethyst when drinking, and inlay Amethyst decoration on the wine container.
The ancient Egyptians began to use Amethyst as a gem, especially the main stone of seal jewelry.
The formation and production of amethyst
"Amethyst" crystals are often found in "crypts", which are formed by cooling and crystallizing the hot silicic acid solution into volcanic rocks with pores.
The color of "Amethyst" can be dark purple to light purple, and the color is often uneven, with ribbons or spots. "Amethyst" is only purple at the end of the crystal, and the rest is colorless.
The most important commercial deposits are in Brazil, Bolivia, India, Madagascar, Namibia, Russia, Sri Lanka, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Common treatment of amethyst
Amethyst can be heated to become topaz, or transparent green quartz (prasolite).
Wearing and keeping of amethyst
"Amethyst" has a hardness of 7, and has good toughness and stability. It can meet the needs of daily wear. However, since Amethyst is far softer than precious stones such as diamonds and sapphires, it is necessary to avoid collisions and frictions between Amethyst and harder stones.
The best way is to wash it with warm water, then wash it with clear water, dry it and put it on a dry towel to dry.
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