All About the Amethyst - Birthstone for February

The birthstone for the month of February is the beautiful Amethyst gemstone which comes in various shades of purple, ranging from a very pale purple shade clear up to a very intense deep, dark purple. The Amethyst is considered to be a semi-precious gemstone and is a member of the quartz family of stones.

On the hardness scale an amethyst comes in at round a 7 so it is a great gemstone to have in your jewelry wardrobe for daily wear. As with all semi-precious gemstones you will want to take care of your Amethyst jewelry properly so that it will last for years to come.

When it comes to purchasing Amethyst jewelry many collectors look for the gemstone in the dark purple shades because those shades are considered ot be more desirable and more valuable. The gemstone is mined locations such as Sri Lanka, Canada, Brazil, United States, Russia, India, and Australia and in a few other places in smaller deposits.

 The Amethyst is a popular gemstone to own because its rich color makes such a gorgeous pop when worn. A beautiful drop necklace would look fabulous with a V cut little black dress or blouse. An amazing chunky Amethyst bracelet would look terrific paired with some simple bangles so you can show off the pure color.

No matter how you wear your Amethyst, you will love its classic look and the multiple ways that you can wear this gemstone.

by Gregg Nosaji, Contributing Editor for ChasingTreasure.com, online retailer of jewelry boxes, jewelry armoires and jewelry related gifts. Gregg is an event consultant and writes about gift ideas and special occasions.