Amethyst - February’s Birthstone

Amethyst, one of the most popular colored gems, is February’s birthstone.  Here’s 10 things you might not have known about this familiar purple stone.

1. Amethyst geodes have been found that are so big you can stand inside them!
   
2. Amethyst is so closely related to Citrine that sometimes they grow together to form a gold and purple gem called Ametrine.
3. St. Valentine was said to wear an amethyst ring carved with an image of Cupid.
4. Heat-treating amethysts can improve the color. Many amethysts on the market have been treated in this way.
5. The ancient Greeks associated the gem with the god of wine, Bacchus, and believed that wearing one would keep away drunkenness.
6. With a Moh’s hardness of 7, it can be scratched by diamonds, rubies and sapphires and potentially damage soft gems like opals and pearls. Store them carefully!
7. Amethysts were once as highly valued as sapphires, rubies and emeralds. You can still see them in royal jewels today.
8. Amethyst is the most highly-valued variety of quartz, and has been since ancient times.
9. Amethysts have been popular gems for carving since ancient times. Carved scarabs have been found in Egyptian tombs, and it was popular (though very expensive) in Roman times for cameos. Even today, many artistic stone carvers use amethysts for unique fantasy cuts.
10. Amethysts are the official state gemstone of South Carolina.