All About Amethyst Rings

When you wear your amethyst rings, what do you think of?  I think of richness, of strength, and of beauty, most of all.  The gorgeous violet-purple colored stones were named after a Greek mytholical maiden named Amethystos, who was being pursued by the god Dionysus, the god of intoxication.  Amethystos prayed that she would remain chaste, and so was turned into a white stone.  Dionysus then poured wine over the stone, turning the crystals purple.

Amethyst stones are actually a type of quartz.  Iron and aluminum give the stones their purple color.  The ideal color for amethyst is a deep purple, known as “Deep Siberian”, but amethyst rings often come in various shades of purple which vary from light pinky-purple to the deep purple described above.  You may even find a green amethyst ring made of what is actually green quartz.  Green amethyst may also be known as vermarine or lime citrine.  Long ago amethyst was part of the “cardinal gemstone” list.  The cardinal gemstones are the most valuable ones: diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds.  A large deposit of amethyst was found in Brazil however, and so amethyst was taken off the cardinal list and is now known as semi-precious gemstones.  Since they rate a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, amethysts are very suitable for use in jewelry because they are very durable and won’t crack easily.

Most amethyst rings today are made of transparent stones, which let the most light into the center and thus are brighter.  Translucent stones are not as valuable and will cost less.   Round and oval brilliant cuts are often used for amethyst rings because the amount of light is maximized and the colors within the stone are better distributed, thus showing off the stone’s beautiful purple color to a better advantage.   An amethyst gold ring should always be set in 10K or 14k gold, or sterling silver, so the setting will be secure enough to hold the stone safely.  Recently, amethyst engagement rings have become very popular, and are commonly set in 14K gold.  Good quality amethyst rings are very affordable, and can be found for $25 and up with sterling silver settings.  An amethyst gold ring will be a bit more, but I have found gorgeous ones for $189 online.  I consider that a small price to pay for something so beautiful what about you?

Take your time, shop in quality jewelry stores, and stick with 10K, 14K or sterling silver settings when you look for an amethyst ring, or any other good quality rings, like cubic zirconia rings and emerald rings.  Just keep these few things in mind when you do head out to shop in order to ensure that you will end up with a beautiful, affordable, and durable ring that will last for years.