Amethyst: The February Birthstone
History
Amethyst has been a precious and coveted gemstone for centuries. It is included in royal collections around the world, from ancient Egypt to the British crown jewels. The US Smithsonian has an amethyst that weighs 400 pounds, which is beautiful!
Greek mythology tells us that amethyst could prevent the bearer from becoming excessively drunk by instilling a sober and serious mind. It was believed that if a person drank from a cup made of amethyst, they would not be drunk at all.
Amethyst has religious connections, especially during the Middle Ages. It stood for piety and celibacy and was worn by members of the Catholic clergy. It was also used to adorn crosses. During the Renaissance, amethyst stood for humility and modesty. Throughout the ages, powerful and rich monarchs have used amethyst as a symbol of royalty due to its color.
Qualities
The typical color of an amethyst is a rich violet-purple though it comes in all shades, especially lilac. They have a hardness rating of 7 and are a type of quartz crystal!
Amethysts from Veracruz, Eastern Mexico, tend to be very pale, while specimens from Guerrero, Central Mexico, tend to be very brightly colored. The deep purple shades of the stone comes from iron impurities during formation. Deep rich purple color stones are the most valuable kind.
Amethysts are found mostly in Western India, Southern Brazil, Uruguay, Madagascar, the United States, Russia, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, South America, and Africa.
Special Properties
Amethyst is recommended to be worn by those who deal with a lot of stress and depression. They are prone to help with and provide inner strength when battling dependency.
It is a spiritual stone, with no negative side effects or associations with anger. It calms fears and lifts the spirits. It promotes internal balance and harmony and brings stability to the individual. Amethyst is often worn during contemplation or placed on simple meditation altars.
The virtues of amethyst include beauty, calm, fulfillment, humility, piety, sincerity, spiritual balance, tranquility, and wisdom. It is a stone of pure emotional love.
Final Thoughts
Amethyst is an incredibly beautiful gemstone and it is at its highest peak of power during the month of February. Its value carries great weight in ethical mining and uniqueness as well!
Click here for the February Birthstone Collection!
Have more birthstone questions? Checkout the blog post here!
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JSL Team :)
