Amethyst
One of the most consistent sellers of colored stones is amethyst. Year in and year out amethyst is always tops with customers who appreciate the many shades of purple amethyst displays. Affordability is also another factor when contemplating a colored stone purchase. This is one of the easiest gems to sell because of its durability, beauty and modest price. Even customers who have very little knowledge of gemstones have heard of amethyst. Amethyst is designated the birthstone for February.
Amethyst is in the quartz family and therefore has a medium hardness sufficient to use in jewelry that will be worn frequently. Large reserves have been found worldwide but Brazil is especially known for its Amethyst deposits. Uruguay and Russia are known to have some of the finest amethyst in the world; some exhibiting flashes of red to the eye when the stone is rotated. Most amethyst found in the marketplace today exhibits a range of color from purple to violet to pale red-violet. Amethyst is usually clean in clarity or free of obvious inclusions. Most amethyst is faceted to bring out its beauty but some dark colored material is shaped as cabochons (dome shaped, no facets with a flat bottom) and will usually be bezel set as opposed to prong set.
Depending on the color and size, Amethyst generally retails from $30 per carat to as much as $125 per carat. Quite often, amethyst will be calibrated in the smaller sizes but large sizes (over 15 carats) are usually cut freeform to take advantage of the rough shape or to maximize the return on the finished product.
What about Synthetic Amethyst? Synthetic Amethyst material has flooded the market in recent years and it has been estimated that approximately 50-70% of the amethyst being sold today is synthetic. Most consumers are not informed about synthetic material. Usually jewelers do not know weather they are selling synthetic material or not. Since it costs more to have it tested than the individual stone is worth, many don't bother with verifying their amethyst inventory.
To protect yourself, deal only with reputable gem dealers who will stand behind their product. Also, if you are shown material that is calibrated and all of the stones exhibit the same dark purple color and the cost is inexpensive, you are probably looking at synthetic amethyst. Keep in mind that top quality amethyst is quite rare in the deep purple color and especially in large sizes. The prices quoted above for amethyst ($30 per carat to $125 per carat) are assumed to be synthetic material. If you are purchasing fine quality natural amethyst, the prices range from $75 per carat to $225 per carat, again depending on color and size.
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