Amethyst - February Birthstone

Amethyst, the birthstone for February and a variety of crystalline quartz.

Amethyst is one of the most valued of the quartz family for its rich purple colour. The more prized and therefore the more expensive are deep bluish-purple clean stones with good cut –more heavily included stones are of lower quality. Fashioned specimens can be found with colour zoning in straight stripes and angular patterns and are characteristic of amethyst in ribbon-like rows of partially healed inclusions known as ‘tiger’ or ‘zebra’ stripes in the trade.

Made up of silicon dioxide atoms, also known as silica, quartz is the most abundant single mineral found on or in the earth’s crust and in its pure form is colourless. However, amethyst, is less abundant therefore a fine coloured example of a good size is relatively rare. Getting its colour from iron, the more levels or iron resulting in the depth of the purple colour. 

Amethyst may be heated to produce citrine or sometimes a transparent green quartz called prasiolite. It is commonly found in geodes, with only terminations of the crystals being purple and the remaining material being colourless. The most important commercial deposits are in Brazil, Bolivia, India, Madagascar, Nambia, Russia (Siberia), Sri Lanka, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Russia was the major source until the 19^th c. when large deposits were found in Brazil. Specimens from Brazil tend to be lighter in colour.

Its relatively large single crystalline crystals, make it popular with jewellery lovers and crystal collectors alike. The large crystals mean that faceted specimens and carvings can be found in large carat weights. And the abundance of both where amethyst is found across the globe and the abundance within those deposits mean that it has been a popular gemstone for thousands of years.

Early Greek mythology associated the gem with Bacchus god of wine and pleasure, getting its name from the Greek word ‘amethystos’ meaning ‘a remedy against drunkenness’. They believed that amethyst would protect against the intoxicating powers of alcohol. Once considered equal to ruby, emeralds and sapphire, amethyst can be found in religious jewellery such as ecclesiastical rings worn by Bishops as an mark of their authority and is found in royal jewellery across the world. It is a gemstone that has captivated mankind for millennia, from the lilac to deep purple hues, amethyst can be cut into many shapes and sizes. Within reach of most consumers, due to the abundance of which it was found. It has long been regarded as a symbol of empowerment and inner strength.

It owes its success in part to the fact the colour purple has been revered throughout history and has long been the colour of royalty and status, symbolising extravagance and wealth. Purple, as a pigment, does not appear in nature too often, so much so that so that a pigment made from ground sea snails known as Tyrian purple was worth three times its weight in gold, according to a Roman edict issued in 301 AD. Dating back to approximately 3000 years ago, the ancient Phoenicians discovered that if they ground the secretions or mucous of three species of sea snails that they could produce a richly coloured purple pigment. Known as Tyrian purple, getting its name from the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre, now in modern day Lebanon. Which was then used to colour cloaks and sails, paintings furniture, plaster, frescos and burial shrouds. The pigment was so rare and expensive that it was only available to those in the upper echelons of society. It was decreed by Roman emperors that anyone else wearing it would be sentenced to death. In 40AD the King of Mauretania, which was part of the Roman Empire, was killed for walking into an amphitheatre whilst wearing a purple robe. Even Cleopatra used it for the sails of her boats. By the 15^th century the elaborate method of extracting Tyrian purple was lost. So, it is no wonder that ancient peoples were consumed with amethyst, as this naturally occurring, abundant mineral was the colour that defined their society for centuries.

Amethyst can be found in cameos, intaglios and other carved specimens, being that it has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, it lends itself excellently to this. Popular in the 1820s (and today) were Rivières set sometimes with diamonds or other gemstones and  amethysts. Sometimes accompanied by a cross pendant (sometimes removable) and pair of pear shaped earrings.  Gold amethyst brooches were popular in the 1840s with canetille to repoussé scrolls festooned chains were typical. In the 1880s and 90s, Very delicate and light gold necklets of thin gold wire scrolled in the flowing lines of the art nouveau set with amethysts were popular.

Over the years in O’Reilly’s, we have sold fine pieces of amethyst jewellery. Lot 71, a Riviére necklace from our Winter Jewels auction in November 2006. which made €2,200 on the hammer.

Or lot 198 from our Fine Jewellery auction in October 2008; an antique amethyst necklace with three scrolled panels set to the centre with oval amethysts on a five stranded gold chain. Making €900 on the hammer.

Senior Jewellery Curator at the V&A, Helen Molesworth says in her book Precious writes, ‘Far from cheapening quartz, this ubiquity has been one of the secrets of its ageless appeal’. And I think that about sums it up, amethyst has been enjoyed and worn for millennia, by ancient civilisations to modern day celebrities and royalty alike. A great example in the now famous Cartier designed amethyst bib necklace, worn by Wallis Simpson to a gala in Versailles in 1953.                                                                                                    

In our February 19^th Fine Jewellery auction we have a wonderful selection of amethyst set jewellery