BIRTHSTONE
FEBRUARY
birthstone february |
The gem's
characteristic colour ranges from the most desirable deep
violet-reddish purple to the more common pale mauve.
Colour is
often patchy and visible 'zoning' (bands) of colour, together with
any brownish tints may drastically lower its value in comparison to 3
stone with a uniform, deep purple.
According
to Ancient Greek myth, the deep purple was created by Bacchus, the
god of wine, to avenge an insult.
The angry
god declared that the first person he met would be devoured by
tigers. A young girl called Amethyst met him on her way to worship at
the shrine of Diana the Huntress.
As the
tigers leapt at her, the goddess protected the innocent by turning
her into a clear, transparent crystal. Seeing her youth and devotion
to the goddess, a repentant Bacchus poured wine over the crystal,
creating the stone's famous purple hue.
The
Greeks also believed that the gem would prevent drunkenness and the
name actually comes from 'amethysts', the Greek word for sober.
According to legend, it also calmed anger
and relieved frustrated passion.
According
to Camillus Leonardus, a 16th century authority on gemstones,
amethyst made men shrewd in business and instilled a serious and
sober mind.
Amethyst was used as a
decorative stone before 25000 BC in France and the Ancient Egyptians
used it for beads, amulets (protection or charm) and seals. It was
the ninth stone in the breastplate of the High Priest of Israel and
one of the ten stones on which the names of the tribes of Israel were
engraved. In Medieval Europe,
it was worn as a
soldier's amulet to protect him in battle. Since that period, they
have been set in royal crowns and bishops' rings. There is a huge
round amethyst in the British royal sceptre made for the Coronation
of James II in 1685 whilst another surmounts the Sovereign Orb. In
the 18th century, Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, owned an
amethyst necklace.
Russia
was the main source of the stone until the 19th century when a huge
deposit was discovered in Brazil. Today, Africa and South America are
the main sources. Its new-found abundance stripped it of its aura of
rarity and, except for extremely high quality pieces, amethyst's
previously high status slipped to the level of other more affordable
stones available to a mass market.
In
1947, Cartier created a daring 'bib' necklace which was bought by the
Duchess of Windsor and decorated with an unusual combination of
numerous large amethysts and turquoise, all set in gold.
The
stunning piece influenced jewellery for years,
reminding people of
the gem's appeal. Today, this versatile stone may be seen in popular
jewellery and designer pieces alike.
Collectibles Coach
Collectibles Coach
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