
Alternatively, amethyst can be turned at even higher temperatures into yellow citrine or green prasiolite.It can also be done to darken Rose de France amethyst into a Siberian color. When subjected to lower temperatures (400-600C), the color can be lightened from amethyst that looks almost black into the Siberian shade.Although most amethyst used in jewelry is untreated, the darkest and lightest natural amethyst crystal can be heat treated to improve its shade.

This allows the faceted amethyst or natural amethyst cabochon to be fashioned so that there is little color zoning. Ideally, the amount of iron and radiation will be uniform throughout the natural amethyst rock. There must be the right conditions to irradiate the iron and produce purple color.Iron must be present in the quartz crystal.Many of you might be wondering, how does a natural amethyst gemstone get its color? Over the years, gemologists and chemists have found that there are two aspects of amethyst color. If you wear a natural amethyst engagement ring, you should expect it to need polishing after a few years due to regular wear. However, this is softer than many gemstones made into fine jewelry, so you should be careful to protect it from scratching in your jewelry box. This means that it is fairly durable in jewelry for regular wear. On the Mohs Scale: Hardness GradeĪmethyst is a relatively durable gemstone, with a Mohs hardness of 7. This meant that amethyst was considered much rarer, and was much more expensive, years ago. Therefore, leaving those in Europe and Asia. However, centuries ago, the mines in the Americas and Africa would have been unknown. Years ago there were some amethyst deposits in the Alps, but these are largely exhausted. Amethyst Mining DepositsĪlthough amethyst is a relatively common gemstone now, its main deposits are in South America (Uruguay, Brazil), Canada, Africa (Morocco, Madagascar, Zambia), India, China, and Russia. But this wasn’t always the case: amethyst jewelry was exclusive to the wealthy and powerful for centuries and has been made into jewelry since antiquity. The great news is there are many carat ranges, metals and shapes to choose from, ensuring that you can get something fabulous within your budget.Īs explained above, amethyst is an affordable gemstone. Special order rings can be set with amethysts up to 3.05 carats and cost up to $3,000.

Want something trendy? All our amethyst rings are available in 14K rose gold. On the high end, a two-carat center amethyst with diamond halo ring in 14K white gold will set you back just over $2,100. The same ring with a two carat gem is only $530, giving you an idea of how economical a natural amethyst engagement ring can be.

At With Clarity, you can buy a half-carat round amethyst set in 14K white gold for around $3.50.
