Introduction

A violet variety of quartz, amethyst is a stone favoured by ancient Greeks and medieval European soldiers. Its name derives from the Greek ‘amethystos’, which means ‘not drunken’, as Amethyst in antiquity was thought to ward off drunkenness.

Apart from being used as an item of adornment, the amethyst is to be valued through the ages as a stone of spiritual and healing properties. Even when left in its natural state, or polished and faceted into magnificent jewels, its beauty transcends a lot of stones with its lush shades of pink and purple and rarely found streaks of red. Amethyst with its mysterious properties has managed to find a place in various legends, royalty and mythology around the world. The stone has a Mohs hardness of 7 and can withstand every day wear and tear very well, making it perfect for jewellery.

Interestingly, the legendary painter Leonardo da Vinci believed amethyst had the power to control evil thoughts, to quicken intelligence, and to make men shrewd in business matters.