Gemstone of Virtue

Leonardo Da Vinci said, “Amethyst dissipates evil thoughts and quickens the intelligence.” The mystery around Amethyst; it is a variety of vitreous Quartz with purple, violet, or red-purple coloration, Amethyst derives its name from the ancient Greek ‘amethustols’, meaning literally ‘not drunk’. Traditionally associated with purity and piety, amethyst has also always been favored by royalty as purple is considered a regal hue.

Ancient Greeks believed that drinking wine from a cup of Amethyst would make them immune to intoxication. This belief is founded upon the origin of Amethyst as described in Greek mythology. According to ancient myth, amethyst was created by Dionysus, god of fruitfulness and wine. Angered by the purity of a young woman named Amethyst, who preferred to pay homage to the goddess Diana, he ordered two voracious tigers to devour her. Diana came to her rescue, transforming Amethyst into white Quartz. Overcome by remorse, Dionysus shed tears into his goblet of red wine. Some of the wine spilled, running onto the white stone, which absorbed its color, creating the stone Amethyst.

It can be found in most countries where granitic rocks are exposed, amethyst occurs in alluvial deposits and geodes. Its coloration is principally due to traces of iron, and it is sometimes color-zoned due to twinning or preferential absorption on the rhombohedral faces. Major commercial sources of amethyst are Brazil, where it occurs in geodes that are frequently human-sized; but it is also found in Uruguay, Siberia, and North America.

Amethyst traditional properties: Contentment, spirituality, dreams, healing, peace, happiness, love, intuition.

Raw Amethyst cluster is provided by Panther Creek Minerals, San Antonio, Texas. It has been free form wire wrapped in non-tarnish Silver wire.

See more natural gemstone beauties mixed with wire work at Timeless Designs.


*Information re-printed from various rock, mineral and gemstone books.