I enjoy visiting gemstone shops and we have a stunning one at Monte Casino. I love these precious stones mesmerizing effect they have on me when admiring their crystal formations. Zambia in Africa is one of the largest producers of Amethyst but you can also find it in Brazil, South Korea, Austria, Siberia, USA and Sri Lanka.
This violet semi-precious stone is well known and used over the ages because of its beauty and healing powers. The ancient Egyptians used it as an engraved gemstone (Intaglio) and the ancient Greeks believed it would prevent them from being intoxicated and made a drinking vessel from it.
Amethyst is a variety of quartz and is as hard as quartz (7 on Mohs scale). It contains iron and other minerals, and the purple colour is due to the natural irradiation, and is made of silicon dioxide. It gets graded like diamonds and the best grade is the Deep Siberian and has a purple hue of 75%.
It serves as an all-round healer, especially for balancing the nervous system and the brain. The crystal is thought of as a protective stone which brings stability, strength, peace and clarity of mind. Amethyst is the birthstone of February.