Amethyst has been popular as a gem since Pre-Roman times. The wine-loving Greeks even believed amethyst gems could prevent intoxication while medieval European soldiers wore amethyst amulets as protection in battle.

Amethyst is actually a form of Quartz - one of the most common substances on earth. Tiny amounts of iron and aluminum turn ordinary clear quartz into amethyst. All forms of quartz (including amethyst) are piezoelectric, making for important applications in electronics. Tourmaline is the only other gemstone that possesses this property.

Amethyst ranges from pale to dark violet. The finest qualities of amethyst are a medium dark violet with a strong secondary red color. Darker shades of amethyst may display slight color fluctuations under different light sources.

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