5 Facts About February’s Birthstone: Amethyst

February is known to many as the month of love, with so many popping the question and proposing over Valentine’s Day and renewing this moment each and every year. A popular choice for jewellery is to feature February’s birthstone, Amethyst, which is said to represent deep love, wealth and happiness. In our latest guide, we’ll take you through 5 facts about the Amethyst gemstone and why they make the perfect gift for a February Birthday. 

1. Amethysts were an Ancient Hangover Cure

Amethyst has long been associated with many religions, legends, myths and cultures. Its origins can be traced as far back as Ancient Rome and Greece. 

The word Amethyst comes from the Ancient Greek word “Amethystos”, which translates to “not drunk” in modern-day English and it is said that Ancient Greeks believed it was a strong antidote against being intoxicated. Its rich purple colour was associated with Dionysus, the god of wine, who is said to have created the stone by pouring wine onto white quartz. As a result, rich Greeks and Romans would drink from cups adorned with Amethysts to prevent them from getting intoxicated.

Although today we are aware that wearing Amethysts will not be able to stop you from getting a nasty hangover, the stone still represents a clear mind and makes the perfect gift for a strong-minded February Birthday. 

Emerald Cut Amethyst and Round Diamond Halo Earrings

2. Amethyst is known as “The Royal Stone”

The colour purple has long represented riches and royalty. In ancient times, the materials needed to dye fabric purple were rare and valuable, meaning that purple was associated with a luxury lifestyle, which was rare outside of royalty and reserved for the richest of the rich. 

Just like the dyes used to make purple fabric, prior to the 19th century, Amethysts gemstones were extremely rare and valuable. And as a result, they were worth just as much as diamonds. Amethysts became a favourite of various different royal families across the globe. Notably, they were one of Queen Victoria’s favourite jewels and are also featured in the British Crown Jewels and Swedish, Danish and Dutch royal collections. 

Choose Diamond Heaven for an Amethyst jewellery gift that’s fit for a queen.

Pear Amethyst and Round Diamond Halo Drop Earrings

3. Amethysts Come In Different Colours

Most Amethysts come in varying shades of purple, as a member of the Quartz family the mix of red, green and blue colour creates lilac to violet shades of the gemstone. Siberian Amethyst is known to be one the the most expensive deep purple colours with great rarity and value making them incredibly sought after. However there are other colours of Amethyst not in the lilac to purple shades. Such as green, pink and orange Amethyst. Some of the factors that affect their colour include light and heat exposure so always be careful with your Amethyst jewellery against extreme temperature and light conditions. you can get Amethyst in stunning shades of green which are rare and very beautiful.

The Amethyst's colour is determined by the iron content of the stone. When exposed to powerful light or high temperatures, the iron begins to oxidise causing the colour to fade. While wearing Amethyst jewellery in direct sunlight won’t cause any discolouration, prolonged exposure to strong sunlight over the years can gradually cause the purple tones to fade. 

Emerald Cut Amethyst and Round Diamond Halo Ring

4. Amethysts Have Deep Spiritual Meanings

Amethysts have long been associated with the mystical world, and are used in practices such as cleaning chakras and opening the third eye. It’s a popular choice as a rough gemstone alongside various other crystals for spiritual and metaphysical beliefs and is used for meditation and for sending healing energy to the body and soul. 

Amethyst’s are often associated with the following spiritual properties;

• Emotional healing: Amethysts are often used to promote calm and tranquility, reducing stress and tension and supporting a good night sleep. 
• Meditation: Amethysts are a popular choice for people seeking spiritual enlightenment as they are said to help achieve a clear mind for practising meditation and mindfulness.
• Positive energy: Amethysts are said to absorb negative emotions and energy and transform them into positive energy. 
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Looking for a gift for that spiritual person in your life? Choose Amethyst jewellery and send some positive energy to the one you love.

5. Amethyst is Harder than Metals Such as A Steel Blade of a Knife

Amethyst is rated 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, placing it underneath Diamonds and sapphires but above various other gemstones, such as Peridot and Tanzanite, for hardness. 

Compared to other everyday objects, Amethyst is about as hard as;

• Steel nail: at 6.5 on the Mohs scale, a steel nail or blade could potentially scratch softer stones, but Amethyst would be resistant; however we would not recommend trying this at home.  
• Glass: at between 5.5 - 6.5 on the Mohs scale, Amethyst could easily scratch glass windows or bottles with its far harder rating and shows it to be a durable stone for luxury jewellery pieces.

     

Looking for a gift that’s durable for everyday wear yet still stylish? That’s where we come in. Choose Diamond Heaven for an Amethyst piece that can sparkle every day.

Oval Amethyst and Round Diamond side stone Ring

How can Diamond Heaven help?

Need help choosing the perfect gift for your loved one this February? Simply book an appointment at one of our showrooms across the UK today or browse the Amethyst collection to find the perfect gift today.