Buyer Guide for Amethyst

For millennia, the color purple is associated with wealth, power, and royalty, which is why it is not a surprise that amethyst has been a favorite among royal families. But since large deposits were discovered, this stone has now become available even for commoners.

Types of Amethyst

There are several types of amethyst you can find in the market today. These include purple amethyst, ametrine amethyst, pink amethyst, and prasiolite amethyst.

If you are planning to buy amethyst, color is often the major factor you need to consider. However, there are other things you need to check. Durability, clarity, size, and others all play major roles to ensure that you get the best value for your money once you shop for this royal gem with its deep purple hue.

Factors to Consider When Buying Amethyst

Despite the illustrious and long history, the powerful spiritual strength, and the captivating sparkle and color, amethyst is a gemstone that comes at very reasonable prices.

Amethyst is also quite versatile so make sure you look for a piece that has the clarity, color, and shape you want in your gemstone. Gem experts assess the quality of amethysts similar to how they assess diamonds. They will study the clarity first then followed by color and cut.

High-quality amethysts will be clear of any inclusions once examined without the need to use a magnifying jeweler’s loupe. The stone must also give off a vibrant lilac or purple color enhanced by the cut of the gem.

Color zoning isn’t something desirable in amethyst stones set in a piece of jewelry. It is where a gem looks like it has patches of several colors within it.

Since amethyst stones are also relatively plentiful, the difference in price in carat sizes is not often significant. The versatility, great colors, and regular supplies of amethyst have made these stones very much favored among jewelers all over the world.

The material’s steady supply also means you can get matching stones in different sizes appropriate for coordinating sets of jewelry easily. The big sizes of amethyst make them extremely good for striking cocktail pendants or rings.

You can also buy amethyst in all possible shapes, from the usual ovals, rounds, and hearts to the rarer flower and fancy shapes.

Colors

Amethyst is one type of quartz with colors ranging from raspberries and deep plums to delicate lavenders to lilac with lovely pink undertones. Some may also show some hints of blue and red, and you can also find amethyst in versions of rich brown shades.

The deeper hues of amethyst are considered the most valuable with a strong deep purple or reddish-purple with a uniform or even color all over the stone as the most popular. When the color is too deep, it may appear black under dim lighting which might reduce its value.

The most important thing here is that it is not amethyst if it is not purplish in color. No matter where you go, there is no such thing as yellow or green amethyst.

Clarity

You should only consider clean and clear amethyst when used as a gemstone. There are now plentiful amounts of amethyst with the highest clarity, so it doesn’t make sense for you to spend your money on a piece that has cracks or internal blemishes of any kind.

Cut

Amethyst belongs to the family of quartz, which means that these gemstones are durable and tough and don’t cause any major concerns for skilled cutters. It is easy to cut the amethyst gem into varied shapes. These may include standard cuts like pear shapes, emerald cuts, rounds, or ovals.

Once again, since amethyst is already readily available right now, cutters can afford to reject relatively big quantities of this stone. It has paved the way for the rising popularity of fancier shapes such as triangles and hearts and even one-off designer cuts.

Never underestimate the essence of the cut when it comes to amethyst. Take note that this gemstone’s biggest selling point is its sparkle and deep even color. But a poor cut can easily ruin both of these.

There are also instances when amethyst is not cut at all. An amethyst geode is among the most famous versions of amethyst ornaments. Geodes are the spherical structures of hollow rock with minerals lined within. Amethyst geodes are usually cut into halves and other portions. It is commonly used in spirituality and crystal healing.

Carat Weight

One of the main reasons behind the popularity of amethyst has something to do with its availability in big clear carat sizes that come with equally reasonable price tags. There is an abundant amount of amethyst in 5 and 10 carats.

It is also easy to find stones at 40 carats or even higher at prices that will still be easy the pocket. Unlike most gemstones, amethyst’s price per carat doesn’t have any dramatic leaps as the size increases. This is because the price per carat of amethyst stays the same regardless of the size.

Setting

The best and most ideal setting for amethyst all boils down to personal lifestyle and preference. Settings that complement amethyst include vintage designs to more modern styles. Be sure to review several different settings first before you make a final decision.

When browsing through your options, don’t forget to consider when you will be wearing your amethyst jewelry. For example, if you plan to use your amethyst ring every day and you often use your hands, you might prefer a more secure setting such as a bezel for your amethyst.

If you will only wear your jewelry for special occasions, you can go ahead and choose a setting with a touch of more flair.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the color purple is what matters the most when buying amethyst. Choose the shade that you find most appealing. Top-quality amethyst has a nice deep purple color with secondary hues of blue and red, a vivid saturation, and even color all over the stone.

It is also relatively inexpensive and easy to find amethyst in larger carat sizes. Choose your gem in actual size in millimeters to know exactly what you will get.