Amethyst, A February Jewel
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by: OtsukaRabadan
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Word Count: 526
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2011 Time: 2:27 PM
Amethyst is the popular birthgem used for the month of February. It is a plum class of the mineral quartz. Quartz's chemical structure is SiO2.
Amethyst has a refraction index of between 1.544 and 1.553 and a hardness of 7. The refractive index of a gem indicates how rapidly light can transit through the gem compared to light's velocity in a vacuum, and is one of the preliminary tests used to analyze a gem. The mohs hardness scale goes up to ten, which is the hardness of diamonds. So Amethyt's hardness of seven makes it a fairly tough gem.
The word Amethyst comes from the Greek language with the word 'amethusos' translated 'not drunken' and the jewel might have been thought to prevent the results of alcohol. Some texts also indicate that there was an ancient belief that Amethyst gave protection against poisoning.
In present times, the predominant meaning and symbology of amethyst is one of spiritual contentedness. It is very beneficial as a gem of defense as it cancels out antagonistic energy. It is also believed to nourish the union and communication between the mind, physical, spirit and other worlds. People who aspire to become more flexible and adopt fresh ideas more comfortably often elect to wear Amethyst gemstones for these qualities.
While invariably purple colored, amethysts can come in several distinct hues of Purple. The exact color or depth of purple in a deposit of amethyst is oftentimes subject to where it is found. Its crystal structure can exist as a six sided pyramid, or as a collection of miniature crystals on a surface.
Amethysts can be unearthed in Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Uruguay, Africa, Italy, Russia and many parts of the United States, including Maine, Colorado, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Without regard to where it is really from though, Amethysts are often ranked as Siberian, Uruguayan or Bahrain in order to portray the superiority of the rock; Great, good and lesser grades, specifically.
Amethyst may be formed in a diversity of ways, but is normally carved in an attempt to amplify the effect of its innate coloration. Some prevalent forms for Amethysts are as faceted gemstones, as cabochon gemstones, carvings such as figurines, beads and tumbled pebbles, or even geometric forms such as pyramids, or slices of amethyst filled geodes.
Exposure to sunlight and heat causes the color of amethysts to weaken. Amethysts that have been partly exposed to heat may become bi-colored, half gold and part purple. You should not use chemicals similar to household cleaners or hairspray on amethysts. A soft toothbrush or cloth and a solution of mild dish soap and warm water can be used to gently scrub the stone. You may also bathe it with an in-home ultrasonic machine.
As the dyes necessary to mix the color purple were often unusual and valuable purple became the shade most often used to embody royalty and as such amethysts have often been used to beautify the garb of many prosperous and influential people throughout history. These days however, amethyst gems are very affordable and commonly procurable.
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