Amethyst: A Royal Purple

Purple has long been considered a royal color and so it is not surprising that amethyst has been so much in demand during the course of all ages. Amethyst was the favorite of Catherine the Great and the Egyptian Royalty and thus, it has often been featured in the British Crown jewels.

As amethyst was thought to encourage celibacy and symbolize piety, it became very important for the ornamentation of Catholic and other churches during the Middle Ages. It was, in particular, considered to be the stone of bishops and they still often wear amethyst rings.

In Tibet, amethyst is considered to be sacred to Buddha and rosaries are often fashioned from it.
This stone which still symbolizes sobriety was once also considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness, which is also the chief reason why wine goblets were carved from them.

The legend of the origin of amethyst comes from Greek myths. Dionysius, the god of intoxication, was angered one day by an insult from a mere mortal and swore revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path, creating fierce tigers to carry out his wish. Along came unsuspecting Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Diana turned Amethyst into a stature of pure crystalline quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionysus wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears stained the quartz purple, creating the gem we know today.

Amethyst quickens wits and increases telepathic powers. Using it for several weeks aids sobriety and helps overcoming alcoholism and other addictions.

Amethyst ranges in color from pale lilac to deep purple. The pale colors are sometimes called "Rose de France" and can be seen set in Victorian jewelry. The deep colors are the most valuable, particularly a rich purple with rose flashes.

Amethyst is available in a wide range of calibrated sizes and shapes, including many fancy shapes. Large fine stones may be sold in free sizes but generally amethyst is cut in standardized dimensions.