Amethyst jewelry, among other gems and precious stones, have been widely used not only as personal adornments but as a sort of amulets to protect the wearer from harm, and as a charm to acquire coveted possessions including love, luck and wealth. Throughout the ages, amethyst jewelry has been favored by royals as much as peasants alike.
Aside from its supposed charm and protection, amethyst jewelry possess a royal beauty due to its translucent, purplish color. The Siberian variety of amethyst is distinguished by an intense violet color with intermingling red flashes, and is the most prized of all. Also, as a member of the quarts family of stones, amethyst possesses lattice qualities of brightness and hardness, perfect when making jewelry.
The use of amethyst jewelry dates back to as early as 2500 BC in Greece, where it was the gem of choice by nobilities and religious figures. In fact, the word amethyst is believed to have come from "amethustos," a Greek word which translates to "unintoxicated" or "not drunken." As such, the stone was popular as an amulet against intoxication. This also explains the proliferation of wine goblets and drinking vessels made of amethyst jewelry, which were widely used by Romans and Greeks. Likewise, the Egyptians used it as protective charms for their soldiers.
Today, amethyst jewelry is a popular ornament, both in its natural and synthetic form. It is widely available in amethyst-producing regions like Brazil, Korea, Austria, Russia and Africa, and its prevalence makes it affordable. It is flexible yet strong, making it good for various creative jewelry designs.
Amethyst jewelry is also popularly associated with the virtue of purity and chastity, propelled by the Greek mythological story of the mortal Amethyst, who was turned into a statue by the goddess Artemis to protect her from the random wrath of the god Dionysus. This god wept upon seeing his beloved mortal Amethyst turn into stone, and his tears transformed the statue into the dazzling gemstone that it is today.





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