Amethyst Gem, Price, and Jewelry Information

In this article, you will learn some key facts about amethyst:

• The origins and meaning behind amethyst crystals and their historical significance
• How to evaluate its quality and what determines its value
• The distinctive properties that make it an excellent choice for jewelry
• How to care for your jewelry properly

What is Amethyst?

Amethyst is crystalline quartz in colors ranging from pale lilac to deep reddish purple.

Amethyst Significance and Symbolism

People have prized amethysts for thousands of years. For example:

• The Ancient Egyptians carved these durable crystals into animal shapes, possibly as protective amulets.
• The Ancient Greeks created amethyst carvings and jewelry pieces and originated one of the most enduring bits of folklore — its supposed power to prevent drunkenness.
• Other ancient civilizations associated its properties with protection and clarity of mind.

To learn more about the myths and legends associated with this gem, consult our symbolism article.

Why Does Amethyst Make an Excellent Jewelry Stone?

As a variety of quartz, amethysts have the hardness (7) and wearability to be used in any type of jewelry setting, including rings. 

Transparent, eye-clean amethysts suitable for faceting occur abundantly, and gem cutters can facet them with almost any design suitable to their size and color.

Amethysts offer incredible versatility for jewelry. Some examples include:

• Barion cuts work exceptionally well for large, lightly colored amethyst stones.
• Shallow designs and fantasy cuts are ideal for darker amethyst gemstones.
• Experimental custom designs by skilled faceters can maximize color and brilliance.
• Raw amethyst crystals and faceted stones can serve beautifully as centerpieces as well as accent stones in jewelry.
• Lapidaries can utilize amethysts for carvings, beads, and various other decorative objects.

How to Distinguish Amethysts from Similar Purple Gemstones

Amethysts may look like other popular transparent gemstones such as sapphires, spinels, and rhodolite garnets. However, since these gems rarely occur in purple colors, you're more likely to encounter amethysts misidentified as these rarer and more expensive stones than vice versa.

Notable differences in the optical and physical properties of amethysts and these sometimes purple gemstones include:

• Sapphires, spinels, and rhodolites have higher refractive indices (RI) than amethysts.
• Spinels and rhodolites are isometric, but amethyst is not.
• These purple gemstones all have greater specific gravity values than amethysts.

How Does Amethyst Get its Color?

Natural amethysts receive their purple color from the presence of iron and other trace elements as well as natural radiation. Their purple colors can range from pale lilac to deep reddish purple.

Amethysts may also show color zoning, both uneven (unintentional) color distribution as well as color bands (intentional).

What's the Difference Between Amethyst and Ametrine?

Ametrine is a variety of quartz with two distinct color zones, purple and yellow. These layers result from stop-and-start growth during the formation of the crystal underground. Since purple quartz is amethyst, and yellow quartz is citrine, such a gem consists of amethyst and citrine zones, hence the name.

Ametrines offer creative possibilities for distinctive jewelry designs. For example:

• Faceters typically cut ametrines into rectangular emerald-cut shapes to emphasize the two colors.
• Some gem cutters opt for designs that combine the zones, creating interesting color flashes.

Are There Synthetic Amethysts?

Laboratories can grow amethysts hydrothermally in labs, and manufacturers can also create them by bombarding specially prepared smoky quartz with gamma rays.

Since natural amethysts are so abundant and inexpensive, little incentive exists to purchase synthetics. However, synthetic rough material is sometimes sold as natural rough.

Amethyst Enhancements

Heat treatments and irradiation can change the color of amethysts. However, strictly speaking, only those gems with lilac to deep purple colors remain amethysts. All others simply become different colored varieties of quartz. For example, amethysts heated to yellow or red-orange colors are, by definition, citrines.

Heat treatments can lighten amethyst, turning it green, blue, or yellow-orange. This undetectable treatment has excellent stability. When heated to 400-500º C, amethysts may turn brown, red, and sometimes a green color. These green quartz gems are known as prasiolites.

Irradiation plus heating may also produce brown, orange, and yellow hues.

Where are Amethyst Gemstones Found?

Today's major amethyst sources are Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Zambia. Brazil can produce stones of large size but generally moderate color, often showing uneven color despite cutters' best efforts. Many gem enthusiasts prefer the usually smaller but more richly colored stones from Zambia and Uruguay.

Four Peaks, Arizona produces top-quality facetable amethyst.

Other notable gem-quality amethyst sources include:

• Australia
• India
• Madagascar
• Mexico
• Morocco
• Namibia
• Nigeria
• Russia
• South Korea
• United States: Georgia and North Carolina

Amethyst Stone Sizes

Most quartz can grow quite large. Lapidaries can cut quartz crystals into gems weighing thousands of carats. However, there are few clean examples of amethysts of 100 or more carats. Although transparent amethyst occurs frequently, this rarely happens in very large masses.

The Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC) possesses exceptional transparent amethysts. Two of the largest specimens are:

• A 1,362-ct Brazilian stone
• A 202.5-ct stone from North Carolina

Amethyst Value: What Determines its Worth?

Value for amethyst gemstones depends almost entirely on color. Siberian mines in Russia once produced the world's finest amethyst stones. They featured a particularly rich purple color with red and blue flashes. In the amethyst trade today, "Siberian" no longer refers to origins but serves as a trade and grade term for colors similar to those of the amethysts mined in Siberia.

Although Siberian reigns atop the value listing, light-colored amethyst has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. The lightest, pinkish violet shades are called "Rose de France," a clever bit of marketing. The artistry of gemstone faceting can shine through these gems if given fancy and unusual cuts.

Since amethyst is readily available in large sizes, its value per carat climbs gradually, not exponentially. Since this stone is plentiful, there is little reason to pay top dollar for pieces with visible inclusions or inferior cutting.

For more comprehensive information on amethyst value factors, consult our amethyst buying guide.

Common Trade Names

Specific trade names refer to different shades of amethysts. The most common trade names include:

• Siberian: dark purple color with flashes of red and/or blue
• "Rose de France:" very light, pinkish violet color
• Golden: ametrine (but recall that an ametrine combines purple amethyst and yellow citrine zones)

Amethyst Misnomers

You might encounter amethysts heated to a brownish yellow color sold as "Madeira topaz." Stones with lighter shades are sometimes sold as "Palmyra topaz," while amethysts heated to a reddish color sometimes receive the name "Spanish topaz." Of course, topaz is a gem species distinct from quartz. In general, topazes sell for higher prices than quartz gems, so buyer beware.

Gems from other species are sometimes called misleading names associated with amethysts. For example:

• Violet sapphires are sometimes erroneously referred to as "oriental amethysts."
• Kunzites (the pink variety of spodumene) are occasionally wrongly described as "lithia amethysts."

Although sapphires are typically more valuable than amethysts, violet sapphires are less well-known than amethysts. Kunzites are rarer than amethysts and, thus, also less familiar to gem buyers. In such cases, vendors use these misleading names to help sell merchandise by taking advantage of amethyst's greater popularity.

Consult our list of gemstones with false or misleading names for more examples of these practices.

How to Properly Care for Your Amethyst Jewelry

Although quartz gems are very durable, amethysts remain sensitive to extreme heat. Furthermore, inclusions can make these gems susceptible to shattering in ultrasonic cleaners.

Best practices for caring for amethyst gemstones include:

• Avoid mechanical cleaning systems that could damage your stone.
• Stick to a soft brush, mild detergent, and warm water for cleaning.
• Store amethyst jewelry separately from harder gemstones to prevent scratching.
• Remove your jewelry before engaging in strenuous physical activities.

See our gemstone care guide for additional recommended cleaning methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes amethyst purple in color?

Amethyst gets its distinctive purple color from the presence of iron and other trace elements within the crystal structure as well as natural radiation. This color can range from pale lilac to deep reddish purple, affecting the gemstone's value.

Is green amethyst a real gemstone?

Amethysts can turn green if heated to 400-500º C. When this happens, these gems are no longer amethysts because they are no longer purple. Instead, they are now green quartz, also known as prasiolite. Although some vendors refer to these gems as "green amethysts," this is a misnomer. The gem is real, but the name is incorrect.

How can I tell if my amethyst is real or synthetic?

Although natural amethyst is abundant and inexpensive (making synthetics less common), synthetic rough material is sometimes sold as natural. Contact a professional gemologist or a gem laboratory if you have questions about the origin of your gem.

Which countries produce the best quality stones?

While Brazil produces large-sized amethysts with moderate color, many gem enthusiasts prefer the smaller but more richly colored stones from Zambia and Uruguay. Siberian amethysts from Russia were historically considered the finest, featuring rich purple color with red and blue flashes. Today, "Siberian" refers to this quality rather than origin.

Why is amethyst considered a good gemstone for jewelry?

Amethyst makes an excellent jewelry stone because it has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, making it durable and resistant to scratching. It's readily available in eye-clean, transparent specimens suitable for faceting, and its color works well with various metals and gemstone accents. It can be used in any type of jewelry setting, including rings for everyday wear.

How should I clean my jewelry?

To properly care for amethyst jewelry, avoid extreme heat and ultrasonic cleaners, as inclusions can make these gems susceptible to shattering. The safest cleaning method is using a soft brush, mild detergent, and warm water. Store amethyst jewelry separately from harder gemstones to prevent scratching and remove any jewelry before strenuous activities.