Amethyst necklace from Sara Blaine. |
Amethyst, a member of the quartz family, has been fashionable to use for jewelry for hundreds of years. With its pretty purple hue, amethyst goes beautifully with sterling silver and is relatively common. This combination makes amethyst especially affordable, which in turn makes it even more popular.
The name is derived from the Greek ἀ a- ("not") and μέθυστος methustos ("intoxicated"). It may seem like an odd thing to name a stone after, but ancient Romans and Greeks believed that amethyst protected them from intoxication. As such, they would wear it frequently as jewelry and also made cups and bowls from amethyst to prevent drunkenness.
Its supposed protection powers weren't just for intoxication. Soldiers from medieval Europe used amethyst amulets to help when they went to war, farmers used it to protect their crops from weather and pests, and people in general used it to ward against evil spirits. Amethyst was also ascribed attributes such as healing and anger dissipation.
Greek mythology tells of Dionysus, the god of wine, pursuing a maiden named Amethystos. She refused his advances and prayed to remain chaste. Artemis answered her prayer, but in true Greek fashion, that doesn't mean it worked out well for her. He turned her into white stone. When Dionysus heard of Amethystos' fierce dedication to chastity, he doused the stone in wine as an offering. This made the white stone crystals turn purple, like the rich purple color of amethyst.
Until the 1700's, amethyst was considered as rare and valuable as diamond, emerald, and sapphire. When massive amethyst deposits were discovered in Brazil, the stone lost much of its value. However, it has lost none of its popularity, as you can see by some of the beautiful amethyst jewelry by Sara Blaine displayed on this page.
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Amethyst bracelet from Sara Blaine. |
Amethyst is found all over the world, including:
• Brazil
• South Korea
• the United States
• Madagascar
Amethyst is found in geodes, which are round balls of mineral with a chalcedony shell. Once a geode is opened, the crystals are easily seen within.
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Christina Ricci
Burt Reynolds
Sheryl Crow
Stockard Channing
Amber Riley
Susan B. Anthony
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Jillian Michaels
Molly Ringwald
John Travolta
Rihanna
Ansel Adams
Rue MaClanahan
Lea Salonga
Dakota Fanning
George Thorogood
Victor Hugo
Josh Groban
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Abraham Lincoln and George Washington
Amethyst bracelet from Sara Blaine. |
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The fourth and sixth anniversaries.
Amethyst ring from Sara Blaine. |
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Lakeshore Drive In Plaza | Liverpool, NY 13088 | (315) 457-1050
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