How to clean it
Warm soapy water only. Keep out of direct sunlight, which fades the colour permanently.
Pale lilac to deep purple
Amethyst
The birthstone for February.
Properties
Composition
Silicon dioxide (SiO₂) — quartz coloured by iron and natural irradiation
Hardness (Mohs)
7
Crystal system
Trigonal
Colour
Pale lilac to deep purple
Mined in
Brazil, Uruguay, Zambia, Russia, South Korea
Worth knowing
Amethyst fades in sunlight. Heat it and it turns yellow — most commercial citrine is heat-treated amethyst.
History
Named from the Greek amethystos, "not intoxicated" — Greeks carved drinking cups from it.
Practical
Caring for Amethyst
How to tell it is real
The convincing fakes are synthetic amethyst, chemically identical and detectable only by lab. Glass is easier: look for bubbles and unnaturally even colour. Real amethyst usually shows colour zoning.
One general rule covers most mistakes: never store stones loose together. Diamond at 10 on the Mohs scale scratches everything else you own, and it does not need much contact to do it.
What that hardness means in practice
Matches quartz, so ordinary dust will not scratch it. Fine for rings, though decades of wear will show at the edges.
Traditional associations
Amethyst is traditionally associated with clear thinking, restraint and calm; the classic stone of sobriety. In chakra systems it is placed at the Third Eye, Crown, and in elemental correspondence it is assigned to Air.
These are cultural associations recorded across various traditions, not claims about physical effects. The composition and hardness above are measurable; this paragraph is folklore, and worth reading as such.
Questions
What is Amethyst made of?
Silicon dioxide (SiO₂) — quartz coloured by iron and natural irradiation, crystallising in the trigonal system.
Which month is Amethyst the birthstone for?
February.
Where does Amethyst come from?
Brazil, Uruguay, Zambia, Russia, South Korea.
How do I clean Amethyst?
Warm soapy water only. Keep out of direct sunlight, which fades the colour permanently.
How can I tell if Amethyst is real?
The convincing fakes are synthetic amethyst, chemically identical and detectable only by lab. Glass is easier: look for bubbles and unnaturally even colour. Real amethyst usually shows colour zoning.
Can I wear it every day?
At 7 on the Mohs scale, yes — it resists everyday scratching.