This month’s birthstone is filled with mystery and history, something that will certainly provide you with a true meaning behind the stone, especially if you are looking to give amethyst as a gift this month. Before we get into the meaning and history behind the Amethyst stone, let’s take a look at the characteristics and colours of amethyst so we can get a better understanding of this truly unique stone that has been chosen to represent those born in the month of February.
Amethyst is a type of Quartz that comes in a range of colours from the lightest shades of lavender and pink to the deepest hues of purple, even a vivid red-like colour. The most valuable colours of Amethyst fall in that reddish-purple shade with excellent clarity and no visible inclusions to the naked eye. With a score of 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, amethyst is easy to care for simply using a warm water and mild soap solution.
Now for the history behind the stone. Because of its colour, Greeks associated the Amethyst stone with that of the wine gold, Bacchus. They believed that one wearing the stone would not get drunk. In fact, that is what the word amethystos means in ancient Greek, ‘not drunk’. Amethyst appears frequently in both religious jewellery pieces as well as with Royalty worldwide. Until about 200 years ago, amethyst was believed to be as valuable as more expensive stones including Emeralds and Rubies.
Diamond Jewellery 