The 5 Cardinal Gems Of Antiquity Includes Amethyst

Photo: Laurel

If you long for jewelry on a budget that can't be stretched to include the 4 precious stones of diamonds, emeralds, rubies or sapphires, you might consider an amethyst. It is a gorgeous colored stone in its own right. In fact for centuries, amethyst was one of the 5 "Cardinal Gems of the Old World" and valued as a precious stone ... up until the 18th century when mines were discovered in Brazil lowering its price.

Unlike the other 4 gemstones that become exponentially more expensive (and often unaffordable) as their carat weight increases, you can get a huge amethyst without breaking the bank. As beautiful as in antiquity when amethyst was rare, there is just more amethyst in circulation today because mines in Brazil still yield large depositions of it.

An amethyst is a violet variety of quartz (SiO2), a silicate mineral. It is the most valuable of all the quartz crystals and like all quartz, forms in lava when gas bubbles become trapped, letting crystals form inside the cavities created by the bubbles. Containing impurities of iron and sometimes other trace minerals, the amethyst's purple shade is the result of irradiation (i.e., its exposure to radiation). Just like with other gemstones, it takes millions of years for the earth to make amethyst.

While amethyst can range from a light lavender to a deep purple, today its value is determined by its clarity and depth of purple color. Collectors look for flashes of red in the stone. High quality amethyst is mined in Siberia, Sri Lanka, Brazil and Uruguay. Once undesirable in hue, pale purple (or lilac -- sometimes called "Rose de France") amethyst is also becoming popular thanks to a successful marketing campaign.

Amethyst scores a 7 on the Mohl's Scale of Gemstone Hardness making it very suitable and durable to wear as jewelry. The lovely purple quartz falls sightly below an emerald (7.5 - 8) and higher than tanzanite (6.5 - 7), peridot (6.5 - 7), opal (5.5 - 6.5) and pearls (4.5). 

The ancient world saw the value of amethyst. It's a genuine, gorgeous purple stone, once reserved for royalty, yet fulfills the want of beauty that extends to the common wo/man. This ongoing wonder of nature is a modern day steal! 

[Note: All the jewelry examples uploaded, except the top image, are from Macy's. I'm only a customer and do not get commissions by mentioning them. I love Macy's for their wide selection and price points to fit every budget. Although I only buy fine jewelry -- real gold and gems, I don't think it must be heirloom quality. Affordable commercial quality is fine as long as it's priced accordingly. 

All jewelry is a luxury buy, never an investment. The only true investment is money sitting in a savings account collecting interest over time. A true investment is not a handbag, it's not apparel, and it's not a piece of jewelry. Moreover, I advise against paying thousands of dollars for a name in jewelry that is more than the value of the gold in the piece. For instance, add several thousand dollars to the true value in gold of any piece of jewelry with the Cartier name on it. Ask yourself if the Cartier name is worth an extra $5,000+ (on top of the cost of the gold) before you decide to buy it.🙂 Yes, you can fetch a good price on the resale market, minus 20%, but the reason to buy a luxury good is because you love it, not as an investment.

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