Born in February?  Happy Birthday!  Your birthstone is the beautiful amethyst, a semi-precious stone that we here at Abeille love working with.  Amethyst is actually a type of quartz, ranging from a light violet color to a deep purple.  Amethyst can contain streaks of red, blue, and when exposed to extreme heat, it turns yellow and is then referred to as Citrine.

Amethyst has a rich history, dating back to the Greeks and Romans.  There are several stories in Greek mythology as to how Amethyst got its purple color.  In one version, the God of wine sheds tears of wine that stained a crystalline quartz statue of his unrequited love purple.  Amethysts are said to possess many powers and in medieval times, soldiers wore it for protection and to provide good fortune in war.  It was believed that the Amethyst could also protect crops from tempests and locusts, as well as drive out evil spirits, in general.  Amethysts were once prized gemstones, in the same class as diamonds and rubies, and were often found in the jewelry of the royals.  In fact, the Empress Catherine the Great of Russia once sent thousands of miners into the Ural range solely to search for Amethysts.

In modern times, amethyst is more widely available, and many gem therapists believe that the Amethyst has a cleansing and healing affect.  It is said that people in need of a calming effect or who have suffered a great loss gravitate towards this powerful gem.

In celebration of February birthdays, Abeille is offering an in-store special of 20% off all amethyst strands for the entire month of February!  Strands start at just $8.95!

Not crafty? We have several premade pieces using amethyst. Check out our amethyst gem drop earrings, gem drop necklaces in our new online store!  Don’t forget- we also offer classes and custom jewelry design and consulting for a unique one-of-a-kind piece.

Please note- The following link served as sources for this post:

http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/amethyst.html