What About Amethyst?
As it's February, I'm writing you about February's birthstone, AMETHYST.
Amethyst is one of the most popular stones in my shop. I always have to keep it stocked up. Something about the rich purple hues attracts people to it.
It's ranked as a precious stone, but it's not rare, and can be found all over the world. It's relative hardness makes it easy to work with in jewelry and decorations, and purple seems to convey wealth and prosperity.
If you were born in February, this is your birthstone! Lucky you!!
I always use amethyst in my rainbow pieces for the purple, there just aren't that many other stones with the true purple shades.
But amethyst also comes in green, and lavender. Green amethyst is rarer and more expensive, a very pale translucent stone, lavender amethyst varies by the grade of the stone.
❧ sobriety (ancient Romans made goblets of amethyst, I wonder if that helps!?)
❧ spiritual wisdom (must tie in with sobriety, get sober first and spiritual wisdom follows?)
❧ February birthstone (cause we're all tempted to just drink through the rest of winter??)
❧ sincerity, humility, and purity
❧ In eastern traditions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, amethyst is associated with the crown chakra, which is located at the top of the head and is believed to be responsible for spiritual enlightenment and connection to the divine.
SAINT VALENTINE
One popular story about amethyst is associated with Saint Valentine, the patron saint of love and romance. The story goes that while Saint Valentine was in prison awaiting execution, he fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. He would pick wildflowers for her and write her love letters, and in one of his letters, he enclosed a piece of amethyst, which he believed had the power to ward off evil and promote love. Today, amethyst is often associated with love and is considered a popular gemstone for engagement rings.
CHRISTIANITY
In Christian lore, amethyst is associated with the Apostle Matthias, who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. The story goes that Matthias wore an amethyst ring with an engraving of a lamb on it, which symbolized his purity and innocence.
ROMAN MYTHOLOGY
The Roman god of wine, Bacchus, was angry with the mortal world and vowed to unleash tigers upon anyone who crossed his path. A young maiden named Amethyst was on her way to pay homage to the goddess Diana when she encountered Bacchus. She prayed to Diana for protection, and the goddess turned her into a clear crystal. Bacchus, upon seeing her, was so moved by her beauty that he immediately repented and poured his wine over the crystal, turning it purple and creating the first amethyst.
❧ Brazil: one of the largest producers of amethyst in the world, and the country's amethyst deposits are known for their deep, rich purple color.
❧ Uruguay: another major producer of amethyst, and the country's amethyst mines are known for their high quality and transparency.
❧ Zambia: a significant source of amethyst, and the country's amethyst deposits are known for their large crystal formations and rich, vibrant purple color.
❧ Russia: most of the country's amethyst coming from the Ural Mountains region.
❧ United States: Amethyst can be found in several locations throughout the United States, including Arizona, Colorado, and Maine.
❧ Madagascar: known for producing amethyst with a reddish-purple color, which is highly valued by collectors.
Click to watch a cool Instagram video of a huge amethyst being unearthed in Australia!
I added an amethyst to my MOONSTONE MAGIC leather wrap bracelet for my oldest child, with the others scattered between the moonstones.
AWARE was designed to celebrate sobriety and the journey taken to get there.
Our new faceted cut DAINTY GEMSTONE NECKLACES are a beautiful way to add a minimal touch of color or layer with other chains!
CUBE GEMSTONE DANGLES are a staple earring to keep in the treasure box for a quick pop of color that goes with just about anything in the closet!
And there's more to discover too! Take a peek here for some beautiful pieces made with amethyst and other stones:
