The essence of the color purple, amethyst is beautiful enough for crown jewels yet affordable enough for class rings. Amethyst is the purple variety of the quartz mineral species. It’s the gem that’s most commonly associated with the color purple, even though there are other purple gems such as sapphire and tanzanite. Its purple color can be cool and bluish, or a reddish purple that’s sometimes referred to as “raspberry.” Amethyst’s purple color can range from a light lilac to a deep, intense royal purple, and from brownish to vivid. Amethyst also commonly shows what is called color zoning, which in the case of amethyst usually consists of angular zones of darker to lighter color.

 

Amethyst is believed to have healing properties that protect the bearer against negative energies. Some believe that the stone’s calming properties produce soothing dreams by making us more in tune with the divine. The stone also brings clarity and peacefulness to the waking mind, as they help the mind flow freely in both the mental and metaphysical dimensions. In ancient times, it was thought that natural amethyst could purify the body of all toxins. Ancient Greeks believed that the stone protected the wearer from drunkenness and enabled them to keep a balanced mindset. Wine was sipped from goblets incorporating amethyst stones to prevent inebriation, and stones laid on the sick to draw out infection. This purple gem is also thought to have wonderful, positive effects of creativity and imaginative powers by enhancing intuition. It empowers its bearers to embrace new ideas and to put their thoughts into action.

 

One of the most well-known of those protections involves amethyst’s purported power to prevent drunkenness. A myth about Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, has promoted this belief.

Amethyst symbolism is a busy field. Ruled by the planet Jupiter, it’s the zodiacal gem for those born under the sign of Pisces. Both traditional and modern birthstone lists include amethyst as the February birthstone. On the subject of February, according to legend, St. Valentine wore an amethyst ring carved with Cupid’s likeness. This may seem an unlikely pairing, given the gem’s reputation for calming passions. However, keep in mind that in Medieval times, chaste love was highly valued as true love. Amethysts signified this vision of love.