Amethyst - February Birthstone
Amethyst, a member of the
Quartz mineral family, and has Purple hues that vary from very pale to
dark. The medium-dark to dark tones are considered the most
desirable and of course are quite a bit more expensive than the lighter
tones. As such it is related to citrine which is the yellow form
of quartz, and also to rock crystal which is the colourless variety.
Amethyst gets its name from a Greek word amethustos meaning "not
drunken", as it was believed to protect against intoxication by
alcohol.
Sources for
this gemstone
Brazil, Zambia,Tanzania,
U.S., Canada, India, Sri Lanka and Madagascar.
Treatments
Typically Amethyst is not
HEAT treated.
Care
It is usually safe to clean
Amethyst jewelry in an Ultrasonic cleaner, but risky to use a
steamer. We recommend ionic cleaners and/or warm, soapy water and
a soft brush as the best way to clean your gemstone jewelry.
Technical
Details
| Chemical Composition
and Name |
SiO2 -
Silicon Dioxide |
| Hardness |
7 |
| Refractive
Index |
1.544 -
1.553 |
| Bi-refringence |
0.009 |
| Specific
Gravity |
2.65 -
2.66 |
| Crystalline
System |
Trigonal
(Rhombohedral) |
| Optic Sign |
Positive |
| Other Optical
Properties |
Uniaxial |
