http://www.potsaa.com/purple-amethyst/
(c) Copyright 2009, CaratExchange.com
Gemology and Color: Purple amethyst is the most precious stone in quartz group. The agent of the color of amethyst is iron. The colors range from purple, pale purple to red-purple. Unlike most other gems, the value per carat amethyst does not increase exponentially with weight, because it is readily available in large sizes. The value of amethyst depends almost entirely purple color
Source: Siberian stone mines once produced the finest in the world by the color purple especially rich bright red and / or bluish. The most important deposits are in Brazil today, namely "Palmeira" amethysts Rio Grande do Sul and the "Maraba" amethysts Para. Other deposits are found in Bolivia, Canada, India, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Russia, Sri Lanka, USA (Arizona), Uruguay and Zambia.
Treatment and Care: Purple amethyst is commonly treated heat to produce the yellow varieties, red-brown, green or colorless. At a hardness of 7 on the Moh's scale, and without any warning for special care needed, the amethyst is a jewel Fine Jewelry for all purposes. Clean with mild dish soap: use a brush teeth to scrub behind the stone where dust can accumulate.
Buying Guide: Amethysts from Africa tend to be darker and smaller than amethysts in South America, and the intensity of richer colors tends to make them more useful. Since the amethyst is so abundant, you can expect to find affordable stones of excellent quality that are 'eye clean' — with no flaws visible to the naked eye.
Color is the main factor in determining the value of amethyst with Deeper Shades claiming the greatest value. The most valuable amethysts are medium to dark tones, purple transparent and pure, without shading into red or blue. Amethyst from Africa tend to be darker and smaller than amethysts in South America, and the color intensity richest tends to make them more useful. Since amethyst is so abundant, you can expect to find stones affordable high quality which are "eye clean" – with no flaws visible to the naked eye.
About the Author:
Carat Exchange is a one-stop online marketplace for fine jewelry enthusiasts. It offers high quality gemstones and the lowest prices. Carat Exchange is a safe and trustworthy website that goes to great lengths to ensure that all its suppliers are legitimate and credible merchants. http://www.CaratExchange.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Amethyst – Gemology and Buying Guide
Purple Drusy Quartz, Amethyst and Iolite 10K Ring
