Amethyst – The Purple Symbol of Love?

We’ve shared about amethyst a few times (https://bridgewaterjewelers.com/the-powers-of-amethyst/ and https://bridgewaterjewelers.com/caring-for-gems-amethyst/), but there are so many great facts about this beautiful purple stone that we couldn’t help sharing once again. We all know amethyst comes in hues of light lavender to dark, reddish-purple and is a member of the quartz family. Check out these other great facts:

Valentine loved amethyst and so it is considered a symbol of love.
Amethyst is a tough stone, a 7 on Mohs scale. There are only a few other stones that are harder including diamond, ruby, and sapphire.
Be careful with your amethyst stones as heating them can cause the stone to lose its color or even create citrine, a yellow gem.
What’s in a name? In Greek, amethystos means “not intoxicated” and was thought to ward off drunkenness and cure hangovers. Amethysts are also associated with Baccus, the Greek god of wine.
Amethyst is also thought to protect the holder from evil and poison, cure headaches and help the wearer to get deeper sleep.
Leonardo da Vinci thought the stone could quicken intelligence and fight off evil thoughts.
Brazil and Uruguay are leading suppliers of amethyst.
Amethyst is the official gemstone for the province of Ontario.

So many fun facts about this beautiful stone. Stop in to Bridgewaters and find your new favorite gem!