the.com/amethyst
a quartz dressed in purple, once trusted to keep drunks sober at the party
means A violet-to-purple variety of quartz, prized as a semiprecious gemstone.
from From Greek 'amethystos,' meaning 'not drunk' — from 'a-' (not) plus 'methyein' (to be intoxicated). The ancient Greeks believed the stone could ward off drunkenness, and some wore amethyst amulets or drank from amethyst cups hoping to keep a clear head while wine flowed. The word reached English through Latin 'amethystus' and Old French before settling into its current spelling.
- name origin
- Greek for not drunk, an ancient anti-hangover charm
- color trick
- iron impurities plus radiation paint it purple
- heat shift
- baking turns it yellow citrine
- february birthstone
- the official gem of late winter babies
- fades in sun
- too much light bleaches its violet away
dream amethyst geode — world's largest amethyst geode discovered in uruguay, weighs 13.6 metric tons
siberian amethyst — historically prized deep purple variety from russia's urals, now rare and valuable
chevron amethyst — distinctive banded purple and white striped variety mined primarily in brazil