February Birthstone: Amethyst Jewelry

About Amethyst: the February Birthstone

The February birthstone is amethyst, the purple variety of quartz, and amethyst jewelry has marked February birthdays for centuries. The name comes from a Greek word meaning “not drunk,” because the stone was long believed to keep its wearer clear-headed. Its color comes from iron inside the crystal and runs from pale lilac to a deep royal purple. Deep, even color with flashes of red or blue is the most sought after, and pale or patchy stones sit at the lower end.

Amethyst rates 7 on the Mohs scale, the same as the quartz in household dust. That makes it harder than pearl or opal but softer than sapphire or diamond, so it can pick up fine scratches over years of wear. A ring worn every day does best in a bezel or a halo, which protects the edge of the stone. A pendant or a pair of earrings takes far fewer knocks and suits any setting. Amethyst looks natural in yellow, white and rose gold alike. Yellow gold warms the purple, white gold keeps it cool and rose gold softens it.

Much amethyst is sold without any color treatment, and some stones are gently heated to even out or lighten the color. Stronger heat can turn amethyst yellow or orange, which is how some citrine is made. Long exposure to strong sunlight or heat can also fade some amethyst, so keep it off a sunny windowsill. Ask about treatment on any stone before you buy it.

Why buy amethyst from ATL Luxury Jewelry?

ATL Luxury Jewelry has served Atlanta from its Snellville showroom since 2008 and holds 300+ five-star Google reviews. The amethyst designs on this page are made to order. If you want a different setting or a different stone size, we design custom pieces with you in the showroom, so book a design consultation.

After you buy, cleaning, inspection and prong tightening are free in store, and engraving is free at purchase. Resizing, polishing and repairs are covered by our care plans.