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February - Amethyst

Lovely, amethyst is its rich purple colors symbolizes royalty and aristocracy. The Greeks named amethyst from the word "amethystos" meaning "not intoxicated" dating back to an ancient tale involving Bacchus, the god of wine. As the story goes, drinking wine from an amethyst goblet would prevent one from becoming inebriated.

Varieties, Qualities & Origins
Amethyst is the exquisite purple gem belonging to the quartz species. Quartz is found in many localities and comes in a wide range of colors. Amethyst is the most valuable variety of the quartz species. The finest quality amethyst is medium-to-medium-dark in tone, vivid in intensity, and purple, reddish-purple to bluish-purple in hue. Top producers are Brazil, Zambia, Uruguay and Namibia.

Gemstone Enhancements
Amethyst is routinely subjected to heat as a normal part of the processing phase to improve the color.