Amethyst – the February Birthstone

The Amethyst is the official birthstone of February

Adopted as the official February birthstone by the American Association of Jewelers as far back as 1910, the beautiful Amethyst is almost universally accepted as such. We couldn’t think of a better way than to marry the amethyst with the lovely lilacs of the South African wild iris pictured above (Dietes Grandiflora) which flowers throughout summer.

The silver ring is our ever popular R65 model set with four amethyst stones, (our R64 model is set with 3 stones) and is a wonderfully cool colour for our typically hot summer month of February.

The amethyst is the most valuable member of the quartz family, and should only be shades of purple and lilac to be considered worthy of the name. Most amethyst stones available commercially are heat-treated to deepen the hue and lock-in the colour permanently. Untreated amethyst will fade over time.

What gives the amethyst crystal its colour? Iron. The more iron, the deeper the purple.

Amethyst Folklore and Legend:

  • Guards against drunkenness and addictions
  • Gives the wearer protection against theft
  • Helps to stabilise mental instability and disorders
  • Makes the wearer amiable and gentle
  • Used to treat insomnia, headaches and other pains
  • Gives the wearer special powers like dreams, healing, happiness, peace, love, spiritual upliftment and courage

While we cannot verify that some of these powers attributed to this gem are true, we do like to think that they could be.