Amethyst

What makes amethyst purple

Amethyst is the violet variety of quartz. Its colour comes from trivalent iron replacing a little of the silicon in the crystal, combined with natural irradiation over geological time, which creates colour centres. Amethyst ranges from pale lavender to deep purple, sometimes with red or blue flashes; the ideal grade, called Deep Siberian, is mostly purple with some blue.

Heat changes it. Heated amethyst turns yellow-orange, yellow-brown or dark brown, and much of the citrine on the market is heat-treated amethyst. The name comes from the Greek amethystos, not intoxicated, from the old belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness.

Amethyst from Morocco

Most commercial amethyst comes from Brazil and Uruguay, whose large geodes form in the basalts of the Paraná traps. Morocco is a smaller source of amethyst crystals and clusters from the Anti-Atlas. Dealers often label them Tata, and some list phantom, hourglass or water-bubble (enhydro) crystals.

What amethyst costs: price data from October 2026

Asking prices read on 28 October 2026.

How to judge and care for amethyst

Look for even, saturated colour, sharp crystal points, good transparency and no chipped tips.

• At 7 on the Mohs scale, amethyst is hard and easy to clean: warm water, mild soap, soft brush.
• Keep it away from heat, which can change its colour.
• As a precaution, avoid long display in strong direct sunlight.
• Very bright or uniform orange-yellow 'citrine' from the same regions is often heated amethyst; ask.

Questions collectors ask